Education Minister off her Tolley – 770 teachers planned to be sacked!!!
Bid to shed 770 teachers axed
The Government planned to lay off the equivalent of 772 fulltime teachers, but backed down days before the 1106 affected schools were to be told. Teachers are still threatening a national revolt over the aborted plan because the Government remains committed to savings of $50 million a year set aside for the cuts. Education Minister Anne Tolley said last night that she backed out of the plan days before the May 28 Budget announcement when she realised how many jobs would be lost. "I don't think that I thought they were actual staff. I didn't realise that they were actually all in place," she said. "I still thought that we were talking about it as being in the future." The Press has obtained documents under the Official Information Act that show the plan was so far advanced that a communication proposal was agreed on. The proposal mapped out ways to "help minimise concerns" and stop schools from sabotaging the new national standards in protest. "This reduction is likely to be perceived by the sector and parents as conflicting with the Government's literacy and numeracy objectives," Ministry of Education advice to Tolley said. "In addition to potentially sending a negative message to the sector, reducing staffing may make the sector less willing to implement Government priorities, in particular the national standards."
Is she drunk? My God, 770 jobs were planned to be slashed by the Government and look at the bullshit communications plan they had planned, "This reduction is likely to be perceived by the sector and parents as conflicting with the Government's literacy and numeracy objectives," - oh you don’t say Anne, yes I think most NZers would be questioning National’s so called commitment to literacy and numeracy standards by slashing 770 teachers.
Tolley must be thanking her lucky stars that the Tsunami warning has replaced her plans to sack 770 teachers as the headline story for the day.
This right wing public service knee capping has been looming since National and ACT formed a majority and it’s only by threatening massive public backlashes that will stop the forces within this Government from implementing far reaching public service slash and burn adventures.
Planning to axe 770 teachers ends the charade that National/ACT are as moderate as they have pretended.
posted by Bomber @ 7:48 am
9 comments
9 Comments:
It's absolutely unbelievable what Nactional are doing to our education system.
Nearly went into a long rant but got work to do so you're safe!
NS
National's plutocratic agenda is biting deep. At present there are a thousand Telephones out of commission in Northland due to the entire workforce of Telecommunications Engineers being dismissed then offered a hazardous contract on a "sign it or bugger off" basis.
These telephones have been out for a week and Telecom advises they will not be attended to until 8th October at the earliest.
It seems that Telecom invited an Australian outfit, Visionstream, into the bidding for the maintenance contract in order to drive costs down. Visionstream put it about they would be engaging only 70% of the previous workforce of 120 - 130 in order to panic the engineers into signing. Their business plan requires the engineers to equip themselves as independent contractors then accept whatever work they are allocated - or not allocated at the company's option. A legal opinion severely criticized the contract.
Word on the street has it that only 15 or 20 engineers have signed.
One would think that a thousand citizens denied an essential service due solely to efforts to increase corporate profits might make front page news but sadly, this is not the case.
The "change" ain't feeling too good in Northland.
Wally Tolley! Best Minister of Education since 'Merv the Swerve' Wellington. LOL.
Wonder what the real story is?
Im not suprised.....i mean these bloody public schools using up precious resources that could be better utilised for the rich private schools..think of the rich for gods sake.....poor bastards!
The pattern seems to be:
1. Right wingnuts cook up mad plan to do some dumb thing based on fervently held beliefs in the market (with the added benefit it will make their mates all filthy rich from the public purse).......
2. Everyone runs to Johnkey to appeal the madness.
3. Johnkey fixes the latest crazy plan yet again and does something less dumb and everyone heaves a sigh of relief.
What I can't work out is: Is this a deliberate strategy to blunt the worst criticisms? Or is the government really a pack of wild, raging extremists held back by one beating heart in the PM's office?
When Bolger played the same common sense moderating role, they rolled him...and spent a decade out of power paying for that.
So it may well be a case of a strategy for some...and a leash for others.
May be a little off topic, but at my daughter's local primary school last year some Board of Trustees candidates were stating in their "vote for me" blurb which way they voted, (National btw). I was stunned to read this. Thinking about it though, I live in a very well to do area where MOST pupils leave for private schools. Wasn't stunned to see these Board members get elected by huge majority.I couldnt possibly work out what the fuck it matters who they voted for. .I then got bombarded with emails when some parents tried to persuade me from sending my daughter to our local Secondary school. They even formed a group which included BOT Members and was strongly supporterd by our local MP (nat) that was sending propoganda using the class database regarding our families choice to send our daughter to our LOCAL college.
I took this up with Tolley, was serious conflict of interest goin on here,still waitng for my reply.
Political bullying,Thats the way it works with Nactional.
Tolley is just a muppet.
Add to this Bill 'Double-Double Dip' English and his ULTRA BAD FAITH bargaining. Stating there is no money for teacher pay rises, 9 months before contracts expire.
Tolley is rushing through these changes as quickly as possible, (more urgency) getting them implemented before they can be used in the wage round process.
Sort out your baby sitters people, there will be teacher strikes next year.....
I have to say, bomber, we have our disagreements but I'm with you all the way on this!
770 teachers to be sacked, my god, that's not trimming the fat, that's a huge number! I suspect that there is not much fat to trim in schools anyway. School infrastructure is under-resourced I'm sure staffing would be the same.
Now I hate government wastage but I don't mind paying my taxes for education (which is why I also share your outrage about axing adult education classes) because education is the ONLY way to improve your standard of living. Not to mention an investment (yes an investment not a cost!) in the economy and future of the country.
What happened to the electioneering about getting rid of the beaureaucrats and not touching the "frontline staff". I'm sure teachers along with nurses etc were used as an example of frontline staff.What I want to know is why is this not out in the media (I mean newspapers, tv). The first I heard of this was on your site.
[Sorry about the ramblings, I like to be more articulate, but I'm still stunned!]
i hate to say it but its because the right wing government doesnt see the use in 'caring' professions.. nurses and teachers can suffer cos its a 'vocation' but god forbid doctors or the police be threatened with salary cuts or mass job losses. Education is such a huge investment into a intelligent, productive society but apparently National want us dumb because we're easier to control.. id take teachers over cops any day..
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