Car horns tooted while parents and children carried signs as Central Otago teachers joined with tens of thousands of their peers protesting throughout the country yesterday.
High school and primary school teachers rejected the Government’s second collective agreement offer made in December 2022, prompting the national strike.
In Alexandra, more than 50 people lined Centennial Ave with banners and placards, some asking for passers-by to "make some noise for education, your children are worth it" and "fix our broken system", while other signs apologised for the day away from school with "sorry for the disruption, but your kids are worth it".
Dunstan High School (DHS) teacher Laura Boulton said she understood 50% of new high school teachers left the profession within five years.
There were not enough teachers to fill vacancies, leaving current teachers shouldering the load, she said.
"[It’s] not a desirable profession that people want to be part of."
DHS teacher Maria Affleck, of Alexandra, said teachers wanted the best possible outcome for their pupils. It was important good teachers were recruited and that teaching was their number-one choice, not a backup job.
South Otago
In South Otago, about 60 Clutha district teachers, principals and supporters marked yesterday’s strike with a public demonstration at Balclutha’s Elizabeth St plaza.
"There isn’t enough support for the huge range of responsibilities teachers are expected to manage, and not enough incentive to keep teachers in the profession or attract newcomers," NZEI Otago area field officer Jo Taylor said.
"We’re asking the ministry to come to the negotiating table next week with serious offers to help us do our best for our tamariki ... If we don’t get acceptable offers we’ll have to go to the next level."
"The kids we teach are going to be looking after us in our retirement homes, so we need to get this right," Balclutha Primary School principal Vicki Neave said.
Gore
In Gore, about 80 members attended the protest.
Kindergarten head teacher Cara Sharp said the teachers were feeling "disappointed and let down" by the Government.
"So far we haven’t been listened to, and today we’re [raising] awareness to the Government that we mean business and we need to see some changes for our collective contract."
Wanaka
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In Wanaka, a 60-strong group of teachers, principals and supporters from across the sector marched throughout the town centre with placards and chants, stopping at various points to make speeches.
An adapted version of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall was sung, with the lyrics "hey government, fix this for us now".
Wanaka Primary School principal Wendy Bamford said she had been teaching 48 years and had never seen teaching conditions as bad as they were now.
Invercargill
Honks of support met vocal cheers as hundreds of teachers took to the streets of Invercargill to join the strike also.
Protesters stood with placards throughout the city in groups, with one outside Labour MP Liz Craig’s Invercargill office.
PPTA Southland regional chairman Bill Claridge said their strike was to send a direct message to the Government.
In Dunedin, hundreds turned out as part of the nationwide strike, demanding better pay and work conditions, at a rally in the Octagon.
