The Department of Education has to show more flexibility if it serious about tackling the teacher recruitment and retention crisis. That's according to the TUI which says the upcoming budget has to include provisions to make more assistant principal roles available for current teachers.
A survey of secondary school teachers earlier this year found that 40 percent of teachers believed they wouldn't be in the profession in 10 years time.
General Secretary of the TUI Michael Gillespie says more assistant principal roles could help to bring teachers home from abroad. "It can help in keeping people because of pay increases, promotional opportunities and bringing people home," he explained. "People don't want to come home and stay in a flatline teaching job for the rest of their career."
