Primary heads get 8pc increase

By ALAN PERROTT

More than 2000 primary school principals will get an average pay increase of 8 per cent from a deal announced yesterday.

NZEI national president Bruce Adin said that apart from the "odd hiccup" the negotiations were the fastest he had been involved in.

He described the pay offer as "substantial" and expected a high level of support from principals.

Talks between the union and the Government took about five weeks before a general agreement was reached last Saturday.

The 2026 primary principals covered by the agreement will meet between August 21 and September 10 to decide whether to accept the offer.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard said he would not comment on the settlement until it was ratified by the NZEI members.

The deal includes an average pay rise of 8 per cent; special school principals get an average 13 per cent increase; and the annual allowance for heads of normal schools, which help train new teachers, goes from $1636 to $2000.

Primary principals are paid according to the size of their school.

Present pay rates range from $56,424 for heads of small schools with up to 50 pupils (U1), to $89,812 for those at schools with between 1026 and 1200 pupils (U9).

Under the deal, U1 principals' salaries will increase to $60,600 and those at U9 schools will go up to $96,614.

The agreement will also set up two working parties.

One will look at a principal's workload, training and support; the other will develop guidelines on how principals should be employed.

Secondary school principals are still negotiating their contract with the Government after rejecting what was described as a "holding" settlement in April.

The PPTA says principals want an overall salary increase of 12 per cent.