Tim O’Connor doesn’t hold back when asked to describe the current state of New Zealand’s education system.
“In disarray, colloquially buggered, we’re heading towards rock bottom,” the Auckland Grammar headmaster told Bruce Cotterill on the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast this week.
“I think it’s evident by people not wanting to enter the profession and the fact that schools can’t get ready access to specialist teachers because they go into the private sector.
“The profession, from my point of view, isn’t as valued as it was and we’re not doing ourselves any favours by the lowering standards that are occurring within our national qualification framework.