"I feel humbled, I never realised I was that important, I never thought for a moment that I would warrant a special mention from my colleagues and peers." Charles Oliver will retire at the end of the term. Photo / Stuart Munro
"I feel humbled, I never realised I was that important, I never thought for a moment that I would warrant a special mention from my colleagues and peers." Charles Oliver will retire at the end of the term. Photo / Stuart Munro
He began teaching in 1973 at Whanganui Intermediate School and that is where he will finish his career in education in 2018.
Principal Charles Oliver is retiring - and soon.
Oliver has been principal at the school since 2001 and at the end of term two on Friday, July 6, he will attend his last assembly as the man in charge.
"I'm looking forward to it, but I'm not - it will be my chance to say goodbye to the wonderful students here," Oliver says.
"I have been teaching for 45 years and at some point in the journey you've got to say 'I want some time for myself, I want a new life' and for me, retirement seems a good option."
Originally from the Hawke's Bay, Oliver and his friend John Hastings were keen on motorcycle racing and would come to Whanganui to watch the Boxing Day races.
When they finished training at teachers college, as it was in those days, the two saw Whanganui as the place to be and so they made the move.
"It wasn't really until I actually became a teacher that I enjoyed being a teacher, I initially done the training just because I needed a tertiary education.
"I have always had a love of Whanganui, a lot of my schools have been in or around it."
Oliver's first post as a principal was at the now defunct Waitahinga School, he also had stints at Heretaunga Intermediate in Hastings, Woodville School, Kai Iwi School and Taihape Area School.
"That was a real highlight for me, I spent nine months in Taihape running Taihape Area School and that was a real professional challenge," Oliver says.
"I was really proud of what we achieved there."
Oliver was contacted by the Ministry of Education to take on the job after the Government merged Taihape College and Taihape Primary and the transition was not going well.
Oliver says that when he started teaching at Intermediate, he never thought that he would return as the principal.
"But the opportunity arose and I didn't hesitate to apply because I do have a fondness and love for this particular school.
"I love the interactions with the students, I've always had a fondness for this age group, they are a challenging age group, but they are a very rewarding age group too."
Oliver with Pernille Struijck, Graeme Whitworth, Trish Taylor-Pope and Lauren Brooking during an NZEI Te Riu Roa roadshow in 2017. Photo / Stuart Munro
Oliver has been heavily involved in the ongoing discussions surrounding teachers pay, workload and time to teach at paid union meetings nationwide.
The next New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa meeting will be hosted at Whanganui Intermediate on Wednesday, June 27.
"Over the time of my career, teaching has become much more difficult, when I was a classroom teacher a long time ago, it was pretty straightforward and easy," Oliver says.
"The attraction of teaching has been eroded, one reason is because of their workload, it is extraordinary, the time they spend preparing and teaching takes seven days a week."
Whanganui Intermediate School has spent a whole term looking for a teacher and they have not had a single applicant.
"People are leaving teaching because they can earn more money in other sectors.
"We need to pay our teachers better and provide them with a better work life by giving them more support."
Oliver says that teachers will do whatever is required to force change.
"This time around, just like the nurses, the staff are determined and they know that we cannot walk away from this.
"If the Ministry of Education, who negotiate our agreements, think that we're going to walk away, they're dreaming."
It is somewhat of a last stand for the man that has dedicated a large portion of his life to education and has grand plans to go travelling, fishing and playing golf in his retirement.
His career will be celebrated at a function put on by the local principals association and then another by intermediate staff and the board of trustees.
In time, he will be out on the water, in the boat that he has not taken out nearly enough, with a rod in his hand and reflections of his career rolling through his mind.
"I feel humbled, I never realised I was that important, I never thought for a moment that I would warrant a special mention from my colleagues and peers.
"My reflections will be that I've had a wonderful career, opportunities to do different and diverse things and I've been able to support other colleagues - I get a lot of good vibes out of that."
Oliver's final assembly as principal of Whanganui Intermediate School will start at 2pm on Friday, July 6 and everyone is welcome to attend.
