Stewart Island has found a new preschool teacher after a
nationwide search.
Last month it was reported the island had been without an
early childhood teacher since November, and parents were
struggling to convince the Ministry of Education the area
should be deemed "hard to staff".
The ministry said the island was part of Southland and did
not meet the criteria which would earn it a relocation grant
to help lure a new teacher for its 12 "Rakiura Rugrats" --
kids aged under five.
The publicity resulted in 15 people applying for the job, and
six were considered, the Southland Times reported today.
Rebecca Norrish, 22, of Oxford in North Canterbury, is now
preparing to move to the island after cutting short her
camping holiday.
She and her partner were about two months into a six-month
camping trip around New Zealand.
Ms Norrish said the job was too good an opportunity to pass
up.
She said she had visited Stewart Island last year and was
looking forward to living there with her partner, who had
managed to find a job on the island.
"It's just so untouched. To me, it's a piece of paradise."
