Integration questions cloud efforts to attract overseas teachers

The government is streamlining the residency process for teachers coming to New Zealand, but the move has sparked debate over whether recruiting teachers from abroad can resolve the country's staffing crisis.

Meanwhile, teaching professionals argue that adequate support is needed to help teachers who have been trained overseas adapt to New Zealand's education system.

From 26 March, primary school teachers with a job offer from an accredited employer in New Zealand will be eligible to apply for residency faster, bypassing the previous two-year work requirement.

The policy shift follows a Ministry of Education warning that schools could face a shortfall of 1250 teachers this year.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford introduced the fast-tracked residency process to attract skilled teachers from overseas, helping to address the shortage while positioning New Zealand as a competitive destination for global talent.

But Chris Abercrombie, president of the Post Primary Teachers' Association Te Wehengarua (PPTA), said hiring overseas-trained teachers was not a quick solution to New Zealand's teacher shortage, noting the challenges they faced in adapting to the country's culture and curriculum.

"While overseas teachers bring diversity and unique perspectives to our schools, it can take some time for them to get to grips with the culture of Aotearoa New Zealand schools and understand how our curriculum and qualification systems work," Abercrombie said.

Abercrombie said the PPTA's annual secondary school staffing survey showed that a high proportion of overseas-trained teachers who applied directly to New Zealand schools were assessed as being unsuitable for the roles.

"Many of our overseas teachers are highly qualified and experienced," he said.

"But coming to teach here is challenging, particularly in terms of grasping the culture of New Zealand schools, the language nuances and how the system works here."

Abercrombie believed it would be better to attract more domestic graduates and career changers into teaching, alongside improving salaries and working conditions for local educators.

Kyle Brewerton, former president of Auckland Primary Principals' Association and the principal of Remuera Intermediate School, said attracting overseas-trained teachers was not a long-term solution to New Zealand's teacher shortage.

He said schools typically faced numerous challenges in finding suitable candidates.

"In my last job advertisement for a teacher, we had nearly 200 applicants from overseas, but most were not suitable," Brewerton said.

"For example, some had been teaching high school chemistry and wanted to move into a primary school classroom, where they would need to teach all subjects in English.

"[But] English isn't their first language, and they don't understand the New Zealand curriculum."

Brewerton said while teachers from countries such as England, Ireland, Canada and Australia might not face language barriers, they still required additional training and support to familiarize themselves with New Zealand's school curriculum.

He said higher salaries in Australian schools made New Zealand a less attractive option for qualified teachers.

Brewerton said most New Zealand schools did not have a formal training programme for new teachers, relying instead on "on-the-job training" as they worked.

"They'll be part of a team with other teachers who are teaching the same programme, the same age group and the same curriculum, where they learn how to cope with those challenges," he said.

"But that puts quite a bit of strain on existing teachers because they have to provide additional support for those teachers."

Brewerton said adequate support mechanisms should be introduced to assist overseas teachers in the classroom.

Leanne Otene, president of the New Zealand Principals' Federation, said overseas-trained teachers could add value to the country's multicultural and bilingual school environments.

"When Asian teachers come, there are areas in New Zealand with a high number of students from the same backgrounds," she said. "It will be fantastic for students to see themselves and their teachers [are from the same backgrounds]."

Otene agreed that overseas-trained teachers needed adequate support to adapt to New Zealand's education system.

"Wherever they're coming from, they bring their own culture," Otene said. "They have a curriculum they've been teaching and an education system unique to their country.

"It's very important that they get support (to understand) the enacting of our Te Tiriti, the importance of tangata whenua and our curriculum."

Otene said overseas-trained teachers should also foster a sense of community to better engage with students.

"Our young people will be very different from those in their home country in the way they learn," she said.

Otene said primary school teachers, in particular, needed ongoing support.

Unlike secondary school teachers, she noted, primary school teachers were required to teach the full curriculum rather than a single subject.

A spokesperson from the Teaching Council said all overseas-trained teachers must meet the same criteria as New Zealand teachers to gain registration and certification to teach in the country.

This included being adequately trained to teach, demonstrating good character and fitness to teach, and proving proficiency in English or te reo Māori, the spokesperson said.

"The Teaching Council is committed to supporting overseas teachers who wish to move to Aotearoa, as well as ensuring they are high-quality teachers who will care for our tamariki ,and keep them safe in schools, kura and early childhood education," the spokesperson said.

Once registered with the Teaching Council, overseas-trained teachers are issued a provisional practising certificate. They must then complete up to two years of induction and mentoring, demonstrating they meet the requirements for full certification.

"The induction and mentoring period provide time for teachers to become familiar with our teaching context, curriculum, pedagogy and key education strategies that impact teaching practice," the spokesperson said.

"This period supports overseas teachers to become familiar with Aotearoa's teaching and learning context so they can better support the needs of learners.

"It is an opportunity to become familiar with the significance of our Te Tiriti partnership and the unique cultural diversity of Aotearoa."