Principals struggle with meeting needs, despite teacher aides pay deal

There are concerns funding has failed to keep pace with the vital role teacher aides are increasingly called on to perform within schools. This month an historic pay equity claim kicked in for 22,000 teacher aides, backdated to the start of the school year, costing the Ministry of Education $348m over five years. But while principals welcome the pay boost, they say it's been difficult to implement and calculating for the variability of teacher aide hours could leave schools out of pocket and having to sacrifice money elsewhere. Last month Otago principals wrote to the government to say the chronic underfunding of high needs' students is placing an untenable burden on schools and putting teachers, support staff and students at risk. Kathryn discusses this with Principals' Federation President Perry Rush, Lynda, principal of a decile one school and Stan Tiatia from Papatoetoe North School. Tomorrow, the Ministry of Education replies to their concerns.