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The primary teachers' union says restricting entry to teacher education courses at universities will cause a teacher shortage.
Auckland University announced on Monday that from 2009 it would limit entries to arts, education, science, theology and first-year law because of a new government funding regime.
New Zealand Educational Institute national president Irene Cooper yesterday urged other universities not to follow suit.
There was currently a worsening teacher shortage and now was not the time to be reducing teacher trainee numbers, she said.
"It sends a very mixed message.
"On the one hand the government is saying to prospective teachers, 'Your Country Needs You', while on the other universities may move to close the door on them."
The Ministry of Education said teacher staffing was the tightest it has been since the late 1990s.
Department of Labour figures put primary school teachers in the top 10 list of high vacancy "high skill" jobs.
The shortage of primary teachers was only predicted to get worse with the imminent lowering of student ratios in new entrant classes, Ms Cooper said.
Teachers needed priority access to jobs to reduce the overseas drift and solve the "supply crisis", she said.
"Restricting access to teacher training programmes is certainly not the answer."
The Government also needs to introduce a scheme to ensure permanent positions for new graduates, as only 60 per cent currently got jobs within the first year of completing their study, she said.
"This is a massive skills wastage at a time when schools and the Ministry of Education are desperately recruiting teachers."
The institute represents primary principals and primary and early childhood teachers.
At least two other universities are also considering restricting entry to undergraduate courses.
- NZPA
