Bay of Plenty principals firmly reject Government offer

Rotorua Westbrook School principal Colin Watkins says the lack of movement for principals could affect the quality of education in New Zealand. Photo / File

Some Bay of Plenty principals are calling the latest Government offer an "insult" and a "complete lack of respect".

Principals who belong to primary school union NZEI voted to decline the offer, worth more than $64 million, following a ballot last week.

The principals' rejection comes after primary school teachers accepted their $1.5 billion pay offer in June.

Pillans Point School principal Matt Simeon said there are a number of complex reasons for the rejection by Tauranga principals.

He said they were after pay parity with secondary teachers of similar-sized schools, relativity with the deputy and assistant principal salaries, and work on the wellbeing and retention of principals.

If the Government failed to recognise their importance and the vital role principals played, the legacy for principals in New Zealand would simply be that there would not be any left, he said.

Simeon said the large turnover of principals already happening in a desirable city like Tauranga was "alarming".

He said the offer was an "insult to the value of our principals".

Pillans Point School principal Matt Simeon says the Government is failing to recognise the importance and vital role principals play. Photo / File

The increase was a "poke in the eye" for Rotorua Westbrook School principal Colin Watkins.

He said the lack of movement for principals could have significant implications for the quality and future of education in New Zealand.

"It has the potential to be the death of rural education in New Zealand.

"Because who on Earth would want to be a principal in a rural school where you don't just have to run the school but you've also got to teach?"

Teaching principals fell into the bracket of principals and therefore did not receive a pay increase with teachers in June.

He said it was a complete lack of respect that teachers could be earning $20,000 more a year than the principal in the same school.

"We need to be attracting people into those jobs and I know it won't cost the Government a lot more to do that."

Deputy secretary for early learning and student achievement from the Ministry of Education Ellen MacGregor-Reid said the offer was a significant amount of money for the just over 1900 principals nationwide.

She said the rejected offer had included additional staffing to support principals in some of the smallest schools and addressed issues of workload, wellbeing and pay parity between groups of principals.

Greerton Village School principal Anne Mackintosh says no chief executive would take the money principals are being offered. Photo / File

Greerton Village School principal Anne Mackintosh said as a principal, she was managing more than 50 staff and 400 pupils, comparing it to being the leader of a large company.

"No chief executive would do this for the money we are being offered."

She said as much as she loved the job, it took a toll and was one that would keep her awake into the night.

Teresa Topp said being principal at Waikite Valley School was a career choice but she would like it to be rewarded accordingly.

"We are upstanding members of our community and people outside look to us for encouragement, support or guidance."

She said the responsibility was a reward itself but she felt it was a kick in the teeth to know her teachers were earning more than her.

"But I hold nothing against them [teachers] because I know exactly what they do - because I do it alongside them."

Principal at Waikite Valley School Teresa Topp says being a principal was a career choice but she would like it to be rewarded accordingly. Photo / File

Primary and intermediate principals who are part of the NZEI union also voted to stop communication with the Ministry of Education and cease participation in any ministry-led activities.

MacGregor-Reid said the ministry valued the work principals did, and working with them was important.

However, she said it was reassuring that while principals would cease participation in ministry-led activities, other school staff would not, and this would reduce the impact on business-as-usual activities.

NZEI representatives were meeting with the ministry yesterdayafternoon to continue discussions.