Central Otago is one of 10 regions in New Zealand which will gain a Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) teacher as part of changes announced by Education Minister Anne Tolley yesterday.
The changes follow a hard-hitting Education Review Office report in 2009 which found half of the 200 RTLB clusters in New Zealand were not operating as they should.
RTLB teachers are specialists who work across clusters of schools to support them in dealing with challenging pupil behaviour, and the changes to governance and operation of RTLBs come after a widespread review of the service.
Mrs Tolley said it was hoped the changes would bring more consistency and better leadership, while also increasing the number of teachers.
Central Otago is expected to gain another full-time RTLB teacher as part of the changes.
"We invest $73 million a year in this sector, and I'm satisfied we have now found a much better way to support students and teachers and ensure schools get a better quality of service," Mrs Tolley said yesterday.
"Forty clusters will now deliver the RTLB service, which will reduce the variance in effectiveness across the country, while bringing better quality and consistency.
"This will also make better use of management, as well as increasing the workforce by 65 to a total of 804 full-time equivalent teachers."
