Education leaders are strongly opposing a proposal to disestablish resource teachers. © christianchan- stock.adobe.com
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">A proposal to redistribute funding for resource teachers has found strong opposition from the education sector. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">On Friday, schools were asked to weigh in on a Ministry of Education proposal to funding changes for resource teachers in favour of a “more efficient” support service. The proposal includes defunding 174 Resource Teachers of Literacy and Resource Teachers of Māori (RTLits), with the savings spent elsewhere. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">A joint press release from The New Zealand Principals Federation, Te Akatea (Māori Tumuaki and Leaders), NZEI Te Riu Roa, PPTA Te Wehengarua, the Secondary Principals Council and the NZ Pasifika Principals Association say the proposal makes no sense. They also raised concerns about the lack of transparency around the lead up to the proposal and what alternate schemes the funding may be spent on. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels says the proposal is a “gut-punch” to Māori, as resource teachers of Māori are predominantly deployed in kura kaupapa Māori settings, which have been shown to lift outcomes for tamariki Māori. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“The evidence shows tamariki Māori succeed best in Kaupapa Māori kura where te reo me ngā tikanga is supported. Resource teachers of Māori play a key role in supporting teachers and children in these schools.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_25025" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-25025" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-medium wp-image-25025" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AdobeStock_173102640-300x164.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="164" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-25025" class="wp-caption-text">RTLits work closely with struggling children. © Africa Studio &#8211; stock.adobe.com</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Lessels also said the consultation was inappropriate as resource teachers of Māori are mostly deployed in kura kaupapa Māori settings, and not all schools are eligible for resource teachers of literacy. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“To ask schools who are not the ones who utilise these roles to say if they value them is really unfair on these highly-skilled teachers,” said Lessels.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“These people are pivotal to, and work predominantly with children who are a challenge, who are struggling.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Lessels said the move was another example of cost cutting at the expense of our “most vulnerable children”. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Why would you even consider wanting to do this?&#8230; It doesn’t make sense that teachers who are experts in literacy are being targeted when the Minister of Education has been emphasising literacy.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In the joint press release, education leaders said the proposal “disrespects the mana and expertise of Resource Teachers and places schools and teachers in the impossible situation of having to comment on this proposal when they are desperate for any additional funding to support children.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Bruce Jepsen of Te Akatea adds that the proposal doesn’t address “the real problem, which is chronic underinvestment in education, and in Learning Support for children with additional needs in particular.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Minister of Education Erica Stanford denied the government would defund expert teachers for literacy and te reo Māori. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“The RTLits themselves have for a long time – and frankly I think they’ve been ignored – said, ‘look, we’re not being used efficiently, we’re driving for long periods of time between schools,” said Stanford. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">She said the proposal was about rethinking how resources are deployed. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“They [RTLits] are an excellent resource and we can use them in a much better way. That’s what we’re having to do as a government, look at what is the best possible service we can provide for our children in a classroom.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">There are currently 121 RTLit positions, with 110 filled. There are 53 positions for resource teachers of Māori, with 48 filled. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">NZEI Te Riu Roa has said they will “explore all feasible legal avenues to stop the 174 frontline roles being defunded and disestablished.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>

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