Educators are critical of a plan by the University of Auckland and Teach First NZ to fast track 20 graduates into classrooms after just six weeks of teacher-specific training. The minister of education Hekia Parata is backing the scheme, but it is yet to receive sign-off from the Teachers Council before it can proceed.
Teach First NZ says similar schemes operate overseas, including in Britain, and it would help cover shortages in hard-to-staff areas such as South Auckland. However, the Herald on Sundayreported that two South Auckland principals are critical of the plan saying it was insensitive and not the right way to tackle inequality in education.
MIT’s director of external relations, Stuart Middleton also expressed concern about the proposal saying:
“It is also somewhat ingenuous to put the Teach First programme forward as a key contribution to lifting the value of low decile schools. There is little evidence that low decile schools need bright young novice teachers any more than any school does.”
