Foreigners no solution to teacher shortage: schools

Press, 3 February 1986, Page 4

Foreigners no solution to teacher shortage: schools

PA Hamilton Waikato secondary schools that seek staff overseas say recruitment of foreigners is not a quick solution for shortages of local teachers. Otorohanga College has recruited three people from overseas — one from Australia, and two from Britain to teach maths and science classes.

Huntly College has “imported” a Canadian teacher for the start of the new school year while the Kauwhata and Matamata colleges are both considering overseas refor hard-to-fill

posts. The deputy principal at Otorohanga, Mr Graeme Nottage, said the first of the school’s overseas teachers, from Britain, was due to start in February, after first being contacted in June last year.-

The recruitment of ad overseas teacher needs clearance by the Education Department and approval from the Immigration Department “You are looking at six months or more,” Mr Nottage said. The principal of Matamata College, Mr Graeme Reid, said he was thoroughly frustrated when he tried to look/at

overseas recruitment of a biology-science teacher.

“It can take at least three months to get through the immigration red tape to get someone other than from Australia,” he said. Mr Reid said the school had an excellent opening for a teacher of biology and science but the teachers were not available in New Zealand.

The principal of Te Kauwhata College, Mr Max Edward, said the school was considering an applicant from Britain for a metalwork teaching position after twice advertising unsuccessfully in New Zealand.