John Gerritsen
Principals sceptical Govt can fix teacher shortfall
Secondary schools struggling with the teacher shortage need to brace themselves - it could get a lot worse. Education Ministry modelling shows they are facing a shortfall of 2200 teachers by 2025. Audio
Schools forced to find hundreds of foreign teachers
The government is spending $40 million on advertising, relocation grants and finders' fees to attract teachers from overseas, including luring New Zealanders home, in an effort to fill 900 vacancies… Video, Audio
Overseas teachers recruitment plan - analysis
RNZ education correspondent John Gerritsen joins Gyles Beckford with analysis of issues around the govt's plan to recruit teachers from overseas. Audio
Govt considering fast-tracking work visas for foreign teachers
The Government is considering recognising teaching as an official skill shortage area, therefore enabling it to fast-track work visas for foreign teachers. Audio
Teachers want more pay, smaller workloads
Teachers say while the government's latest offer is 'insulting' and much more money is needed, it's not just about the pay - they also want smaller workloads. Audio
Primary, secondary teachers likely to strike - analysis
Back now to the looming industrial action by the PPTA. As we've been reporting Secondary School teachers' rejection of the government's pay offer sets the scene for a double-header of strike action in… Audio
Secondary teachers may strike after rejecting pay offer
Secondary teachers and principals may strike after rejecting the government's pay offer less than 24 hours after the primary teachers' union announced it would vote on a second strike over its pay… Video, Audio
Principals warn the 'real' teacher shortage crisis is masked
Principals are warning the public does not understand the severity of the teacher shortage as they are taking stop-gap measures, such as supervising several classes at once and offering fewer clases.
…More strikes likely as primary teachers reject pay offer
Primary school teachers and principals could be heading for another strike after rejecting the ministry's pay offer. The Educational Institute says its members resoundingly refused the offer of a 9.3… Audio
Woman turns evidence on 'parasite' scammers
An Indian woman is hoping to avoid deportation by informing on men who sold her fake jobs for more than $30,000. Damanpreet Kaur has provided the government with details of her case in the hope it… Audio
Philippines ambassador to NZ criticises student exploitation
The Philippines' ambassador to New Zealand, Jesus Domingo, is trying to stamp out exploitation of Filipino students by dodgy education agents. Mr Domingo wants New Zealand tertiary institutions to… Audio
Principals divided on communities of learning scheme
Growing pressure on education spending is raising expectations the government will raid the $150-million-a-year that's being spent on one of National's flagship policies. The "communities of learning"… Audio
Teachers disappointed by new pay offer - analysis
Primary school teachers and principals are unhappy the latest offer in their pay talks makes no mention of reduced work loads or more help for children with special needs. The offer of a 9.3 percent… Audio
Teachers disappointed at govt offer: 'It's not just about the pay'
Teachers at Wellington's Johnsonville School say they're disappointed at the government's new pay offer, as it's not enough to attract people to the profession and does nothing to address workloads or… Video, Audio
Universities block course-rating survey results
Universities are blocking the publication of survey results that rate the usefulness of hundreds of their courses. The Tertiary Education Commission has enough responses to its MyQ survey of recent… Audio
'Jaw-dropping' delays for special education
Delays in specialist support for children with disabilities under five in the Wellington region are "ridiculous", parents and teachers say.. Audio
'Non-serious' students cost NZ in international test
New Zealand's rankings in an influential OECD test of reading, maths and science are suffering because more than a quarter of the Kiwi kids who sit the exam do not take it seriously. A study for the… Audio
Kindergartens, playcentres planning national amalgamations
Kindergartens and playcentres are trying to secure their futures by forming multi-million-dollar national organisations that will have more financial clout and which will be able to counter falling… Audio
Govt crackdown on home-based early childhood education
The government is cracking down on home-based early childhood education, citing doubts about quality and concern over some companies' financial arrangements. It is proposing mandatory qualifications… Audio
Polytechnic bailouts near $100m - analysis
The crisis in polytechnics has deepened with the Government bailing out two more institutions, Unitec in Auckland and Whitireia in Porirua. The $65 million advanced to the two is on top of the… Audio