Migrant teacher sick of rejections

By REBECCA WALSH

A South African primary school teacher who has applied unsuccessfully for more than 200 positions since arriving in New Zealand is now considering leaving.

Louise Gullett arrived at the end of 1998 after family here told her the Ministry of Education was advertising for primary teachers.

With three years' experience in a Johannesburg school, she hoped to find a job quickly, but hundreds of applications and just three job interviews later she is feeling disillusioned and left questioning why no one wants her.

Ministry officials would not comment on an individual case but were surprised by her situation.

Mrs Gullett, who has New Zealand residency, was registered as a teacher soon after arriving in the country. She has been working in an early childhood centre and at a private tutoring company.

"Every position I thought I was qualified for I applied for ...

"It didn't matter where I went so long as I could get a position in New Zealand."

She has completed a range of courses designed to help overseas teachers adapt to New Zealand schools, from Maori pronunciation and the Treaty of Waitangi to how to keep running records of student achievement.

She has also visited principals to introduce herself and drop off her curriculum vitae.

"I think I'm a good teacher. I get results with the children. When I'm tutoring I always get feedback that they are making a lot of progress."

Terry Morrison, the principal of Ngongotaha Primary School, interviewed Mrs Gullett for a job in 1999 and said he would have been happy to employ her.

"She was a very warm person, the sort of person I would have on my staff," he said. "[But] someone with local experience who had relieved here got the job."

Mrs Gullett went to the ministry's Auckland office this month to find out where she was going wrong.

She said Charles Brown, the northern manager for Teach NZ, told her that about half the teachers who came from South Africa could not adapt to New Zealand classes.

"I got the impression he already judged me, coming from South Africa, with being racist. It's not the case," she said.

But Mr Brown disputed that. He said there was no anti-South African policy within the ministry.

"Worldwide, people will always prefer a good applicant from their own culture ... New Zealanders face the same thing abroad."

Mr Brown said that as the primary school roll bulge, which peaked in 1996 and 1997, moved through the system, competition for jobs was increasing. Principals spoken to by the Herald said that although schools were receiving a reasonable number of applications for jobs, many were unsuitable.

Roger Harnett, principal of Browns Bay School and president of the Auckland Primary Principals Association, said a fulltime position advertised four months ago attracted 27 applications.

Half the applicants were from Asian countries and had little primary teaching experience.

At July 5, there were just under 100 primary teacher vacancies nationally.