The teaching profession straying from university capture

In the 2024 budget, substantial funding was announced to move teacher education towards an in-school, apprenticeship-style model. The injection of funding is intended to address the shortage of teachers currently facing our schools. The shortage is predicted to worsen, particularly at secondary level. It is exacerbated by substantial attrition from the profession.

Who Teaches the Teachers?

The most important component of any system of school education is its teachers. But, New Zealand’s teacher education programmes do not ensure that new teachers are well prepared for the classroom. New Zealand’s Teachers Colleges were merged with universities during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The aim was to improve the professional standing of teachers. But the current university model of teacher education has six serious flaws: