Photo: NZ HeraldThe door is being opened to 300 overseas qualified teachers to come to New Zealand under a new class border exception, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. "A separate family reunification border exception is being created for the partners and dependent children of teachers who are already in New Zealand on temporary visas. The Education Ministry would work with schools and early childhood education services to make sure those with the greatest recruitment needs got priority, Hipkins said. New Zealand teachers coming home from Covid-torn parts of the world had already dramatically eased the country's teacher shortage as the new school year started in January. The staffing situation was "better than it's been for many years", because of New Zealand teachers not going overseas, many returning and jobs teaching overseas students disappearing because the border remains closed, Secondary Principals' Association president Deidre Shea told the Herald in January.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 03, 2021 02:48 UTC