A group of teachers from Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ōpōtiki College picketed in support of the national teachers' strike yesterday morning.

Gathered at the intersection of St John and Wellington streets, they drew almost continual toots of support from passing motorists.

Spokeswoman Debbie McKillop said the protest from 7.30am to 9.30am was to show the Minister of Education that she needed to value her teachers.

“Our minister’s 1 percent pay rise offer is unacceptable. If you don’t offer better than the increase in the cost-of-living teachers won’t stay in the profession – but it’s not only about the money,” Ms McKillop said.  

“This is an era in which they are changing everything around us while expecting that we also maintain excellent education standards. To do this job properly we will need more pastoral and curriculum support.”

Ms McKillop said moves to throw out NCEA had created instability as it was not even clear what would take its place.

“Right now, we are having to change how we teach numeracy and literacy, how we assess science and more.

“There is huge additional responsibility being placed on us, structural changes to cope with and not enough resourcing made available to cope with it all.”

Ms McKillop was a retired teacher working three days a week.

“I really enjoy working with the kids without the full-time workload every other teacher in the classroom must endure. It gives me sufficient time to do my marking and prep – all the fun things.

“I can now manage what my colleagues are hard pressed to fit into their day.

“To sum it up, we’re all trying to do the job well.

“Everyone here is for the kids. But the Government needs to recognise this and support us.”