Secondary schools have been struggling for some time to meet their recruitment needs. The last time recruitment was not a major issue for secondary schools was more than two decades ago. At that stage salaries at the top of the basic scale were around 80% higher than the average wage. They are currently about 40% higher than the average wage and look set to fall in relative terms over the term of the current agreement.
Secondary teacher salaries are currently too low to recruit and retain qualified, quality secondary teachers at the numbers required by secondary schools to ensure all students can be guaranteed a high quality education across an appropriate range of subject options.

Recommendations to Government

1. That the entrenchment clauses in the compulsory education sector collective agreements be not renewed
2. That secondary teacher base scale maximum salaries be increased to 80% above the average wage
3. That the value of management salary units be increased significantly
4. That the recommendations of the ACER secondary teacher workload report 2005 be implemented
5. That additional resources be applied to eliminate classes over 25.
6. That there be urgent movement to address the workload pressures associated with NCEA.
7. That responsibility for monitoring and advising on secondary teacher recruitment and retention and remuneration be transferred to an independent body.