'Critical lack of local teachers'

This year, eight physics teachers graduated university training courses. Many secured jobs before they qualified. Photo / Getty Images

Secondary schools forced overseas for maths and physics teaching staff.

Education leaders have hit out at a dearth of home-grown physics and maths teaching graduates - revealing some schools would be in serious strife if it weren't for overseas recruitment.

This year just eight physics teachers graduated from Auckland and Wellington university training courses. Many secured jobs before they qualified.

In Waikato there was just one physics graduate out of the 142 secondary school student teachers.

Rangitoto College principal David Hodge said there was a critical shortage of teachers specialising in maths and science. At the same time there was a surplus of graduates in physical education and arts.

Hodge told the Herald on Sunday his school had the choice of 85 applicants for one PE job but, after unsuccessfully advertising in New Zealand for a qualified physics teacher, had to use an international recruitment agency in the UK.

Hodge said secondary school principals were feeling helpless over the supply issue, after lobbying Education Ministry officials for more than a year.

"A well-respected principal at a meeting to discuss teacher shortages said it had got to the stage where the only thing he looked for in physics and maths teachers was a pulse," Hodge said.

Hodge wrote to the Ministry of Education and the Secretary of Education, Peter Hughes, on behalf of the North Harbour Principals' Association a year ago outlining the problem.

Macleans College principal Byron Bentley said his school was advertising for a physics teacher and hadn't attracted a single applicant.

He said if it weren't for overseas teacher recruitment, New Zealand secondary classrooms would be in serious strife.

Bentley said the ministry needed to look at alternative schemes to boost key subjects, including more postgraduate, on-the-job-training.

Auckland University's director of secondary teaching Dr Ngaire Hoben said the situation was dire.

"The numbers coming forward to teach maths are worrying," she said. "We're heading for a real shortage in many subjects in a few years, given many teachers are due to retire."

The Ministry's head of student achievement, Lisa Rodgers, said it was working to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the workforce through surveys and data.

It was also developing a recruitment strategy to target and attract graduates in science, technology and maths as part of its teacher workforce strategy.

The ministry was also supporting the Teach First New Zealand field-based teacher training pilot programme to get high-performing graduates and professionals in maths, chemistry and physics into classrooms.

Last weekend, senior education figures told the Herald on Sunday the teacher drain from Auckland was reaching crisis point - leading to calls for an "Auckland allowance".

The Auckland Primary Principals' Association's survey of 157 of its members revealed a third of principals weren't confident they would be able to make "appropriate appointments" as experienced teachers quit Auckland for cheaper lifestyles in the provinces or headed overseas.