Teachers body loses director

Besieged Teachers Council director Margaret Kouvelis has resigned with a golden handshake.

Ms Kouvelis refused to comment, but council chairwoman Joanna Beresford confirmed Ms Kouvelis had resigned on October 10 and left the same day.

The council took over from the Teachers Registration Board in February last year and was hailed as the Government's flagship for ethics and professionalism. But it has been in near-constant trouble from the beginning.

Its first chairwoman, Kathie Irwin, was forced out in May last year after allegations of double-dipping at her academic jobs. Second chairman Stan Rodger left suddenly in June after just a year.

The council has struggled with a backlog of teacher registration applications that reached 12,000 this year, earning it the wrath of Education Minister Trevor Mallard.

In April he said the council's woes were making him a "pretty grumpy minister".

He demanded answers, and weeks later installed a crisis team from the Education Ministry to help sort out the backlog.

Ms Beresford conceded the council had had a difficult year but said she was optimistic about the future.

The council has only just got to grips with teacher registrations.

It has yet to complete other core jobs, such as developing a code of ethics for teachers. A disciplinary tribunal and complaints assessment committee are also yet to be established.

In the past Ms Kouvelis conceded that the council struggled with registrations - difficulties caused, she said, by a bulge in applications and a "clapped-out" telephone system.

Sources say she did not want to leave but that it now appeared she had paid the price for the council's problems.

Ms Beresford refused to comment on any deals struck over Ms Kouvelis' resignation, but when asked specifically about a payout, she said there were certain legal obligations over money that had been met.

"The fact of the matter is that the council didn't meet stakeholders' reasonable expectations in the past in certain parts of its history and we are now," Ms Beresford said.

"The important thing is to make sure that the council can stand on its own feet and perform its functions as a Crown entity."

An interim director, former senior public servant Ian Miller, would start today and a permanent director would be sought "soon".

- NZPA

Troubled from start

May 2002: Chairwoman Kathie Irwin sacked over allegations of double-dipping.

April 2003: Teacher registration backlog incurs wrath of Education Minister Trevor Mallard.

June 2003: Replacement chairman Stan Rodger leaves suddenly.