Unfortunately, the funding for our schools and kindergartens is not enough for us to give us the time we would like to support all our kids to thrive.

Unfortunately, the funding for our schools and kindergartens is not enough for us to give us the time we would like to support all our kids to thrive.

We need to attract and retain educators by ensuring that teaching is a valued and attractive profession.

Principals and teachers in primary and area schools and kindergartens have considered at length offers from the government to settle our respective collective agreements. The offers did not meet our expectations, nor make sufficient steps towards the changes we need for our children to succeed.

You may have seen that we voted to take industrial action on 16 March. It’s the last thing we wanted to do. And the decision was not taken lightly. We felt that this was the only way the government would listen and recognise that when they support our children to learn and succeed, we are supporting whānau and communities to thrive.

We look forward to another great year in 2023 – and together with your support, building the case for better investment in our tamariki.