Teacher supply

Secondary teacher supply under pressure  

The 2025 Secondary School Staffing Survey Report shows a continuing problem with secondary teacher recruitment.   

The reasons why we are facing a critical secondary teacher shortage are multi-faceted and include factors like: 

The impact of shortages in the secondary teacher workforce 

There are significant teacher shortages in many subject areas: Schools have difficulty in recruiting teachers in subjects like science, technology, mathematics, English and Te Reo Māori. PPTA Te Wehengarua’s 2025 staffing survey indicated that the number of suitable New Zealand applicants for classroom and middle leadership positions were 0.83 and 1.21 New Zealand applicants per position respectively. These figures are historical lows. Overseas’ interest in New Zealand teaching positions has increased- which is pleasing.  However, there is a large discrepancy between the number of applications schools receive from overseas applicants and the number of suitable applicants per position.  

The lack of available subject specialist teachers results in cancelled or transferred classes for many students: In 2025, 29% of principals reported having had to cancel or transfer classes and 34% of principals reported having teachers working in non-specialist areas, because a specialist teacher could not be found. These figures are concerning and directly illustrate the price for under-resourcing that our learners and our schools have to pay. 

Why teachers leave teaching - contributing factors 

Declining relative pay, the availability of alternative occupations, high workloads, and high housing costs are key to specialist teacher supply pressures. Fixed term, insecure appointments also cause people to leave teaching and can also make it unattractive to remain in the profession.  

Supporting secondary teaching careers 

We are committed to making sure every teacher, from their very first position through to retirement, is well-supported and encouraged to reach their professional potential. 
As a sector, we need to work together to develop new ways to support people with the skills we need into the profession. Government initiatives to boost recruitment are a good start, but they must go together with improvements in teachers’ pay and working conditions. 

Valuing teaching 

Teachers are experts in their fields who are dedicated to delivering the best possible outcomes for students. It is critical that this work is valued and respected in all decisions affecting the sector. The sustainability of the teaching profession and our education system relies on teachers being valued fairly for their work and not exposed to workloads that are unsafe and untenable. It is also critical that the professional expertise teachers bring to their profession are recognised by political decision-makers. Decisions affecting the sector should be made in partnership with teachers and principals and not simply imposed on them.