[New Zealand] More than 400 pandemic-related school staff resignations

[New Zealand] More than 400 pandemic-related school staff resignations
09 May 2022

In New Zealand, Education Payroll records have revealed that more than 400 school staff resigned for reasons related to the pandemic between November 2021 and mid-February 2022, NZ Herald reports.

A Cabinet paper said that the Ministry of Education had introduced a COVID-19 resignation category in its payroll data collection in November last year.

"As of 15 February 2022, a total of 401 teachers had been recorded as having resigned or given notice of resignation for reasons related to COVID-19. This represents less than 1 per cent of the total teacher workforce of around 68,000 teachers who have appeared on payroll since the start of November 2021," the paper said.

It was unclear how many of the resignations were as a result of the government COVID-19 vaccination mandate for teachers that began on 16 November 2021 and lifted on 5 April 2022.

The Cabinet paper reportedly said the mandate had caused staff shortages in some schools, however, nationally the percentage of teachers remaining in their jobs was higher last year than in 2020.

"In 2021 teachers remained in the profession at 2-3 per cent higher rate than usual (equivalent to 600-900 teachers)," the report said.

The ministry reportedly said that schools did not have to use the pandemic coding.

In a separate announcement, the Teaching Council said it received reports from employers that 225 teachers were dismissed for refusing to comply with the vaccine mandate.

It said refusing to get vaccinated did not breach the teachers' code of professional responsibility and it had taken no action on those cases.


Source: NZ Herald

(Quotes via original reporting)

In New Zealand, Education Payroll records have revealed that more than 400 school staff resigned for reasons related to the pandemic between November 2021 and mid-February 2022, NZ Herald reports.

A Cabinet paper said that the Ministry of Education had introduced a COVID-19 resignation category in its payroll data collection in November last year.

"As of 15 February 2022, a total of 401 teachers had been recorded as having resigned or given notice of resignation for reasons related to COVID-19. This represents less than 1 per cent of the total teacher workforce of around 68,000 teachers who have appeared on payroll since the start of November 2021," the paper said.

It was unclear how many of the resignations were as a result of the government COVID-19 vaccination mandate for teachers that began on 16 November 2021 and lifted on 5 April 2022.

The Cabinet paper reportedly said the mandate had caused staff shortages in some schools, however, nationally the percentage of teachers remaining in their jobs was higher last year than in 2020.

"In 2021 teachers remained in the profession at 2-3 per cent higher rate than usual (equivalent to 600-900 teachers)," the report said.

The ministry reportedly said that schools did not have to use the pandemic coding.

In a separate announcement, the Teaching Council said it received reports from employers that 225 teachers were dismissed for refusing to comply with the vaccine mandate.

It said refusing to get vaccinated did not breach the teachers' code of professional responsibility and it had taken no action on those cases.


Source: NZ Herald

(Quotes via original reporting)

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