School angry at teacher decision

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 244, 31 May 1988, Page 1

School angry at teacher decision

Ohakune Primary School people are angry at the Department of Education over the treatment of one of their teachers.

The department has refused to recognise the qualifications of a foreign teacher who has been working at the school through the first term. The reason given is his training was for only two years while New Zealand teacher training covers three years.

Mr Jan Celi, who featured in the Bulletin a few weeks ago, was employed in the first term as a teacher's aid, which means he was paid substantially less than a qualified teacher. Mr Celi is a Belgian national with Belgian teaching qualifications. The Ohakune Primarv

School Committee has written to the Minister of Education David Lange, the leader of the Opposition, Jim Bolger with the backing of most of the staff and many of the pupils of the school. Acting Principal Ellen Gould said the situation was ludicrous that with the New Zealand shortage of teachers the department should refuse to recognise Mr Celi's credentials.

She said his professors had written to the department to confirm that he studied for two years and taught for one year, under the supervision of his professors, to gain his Belgian teaching qualifications. She said his in service third year should count as a training year as it was under supervision, unlike New Zealand teacher's fourth year which is unsupervised. Mrs Gould said she

was very happy with Mr Celi's work, the other staff and his pupils were happy and that two school inspectors were happy. She said he had attended six in service courses during his stay to improve his skills. "Why are they arguing?" said Mrs Gould. "If he was in Wellington they'd soon get down to the department and sort it out."