Primary Principals accept pay rise

October 19, 2025

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Primary school principals represented by a special union have agreed to a pay rise, following months of talks with the Ministry of Education.

The deal, lasting 26 months, includes a 2.5% pay increase this year and a further 2.1% rise next year. It was offered by Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche.

The Primary Principals Collective Bargaining Union, which has 515 members, held a vote on the proposal. Of those who voted, 95% said yes to the new offer. Union president Mark Ellis said the group never needed to threaten a strike, and this helped the talks stay friendly and focused.

Ellis explained that principals wanted a fair wage but also wanted to stay in schools to support teachers and pupils. He said the union made sure their goals were clear and worked well with the Ministry to reach an agreement.

One important part of the deal is a plan to talk more about how principals are paid for their experience, not just for the size of their schools. Ellis believes this could lead to better pay for long-serving principals.

Despite this agreement, many other principals and teachers across New Zealand are still unhappy. On 23 October, members of a different union, NZEI Te Riu Roa, plan to go on strike. Over 40,000 education workers, including primary school teachers and principals, are expected to take part.

Article written by Milli Banbury

This article was written using AI as an assistive tool for research and writing.

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Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

At a local reserve near Rotorua, a group of Year 8 students helped with a native planting project. Before the project began, the area was dry and muddy, with only a few struggling grasses left beside the stream. Over several weekends, volunteers planted more than 300 young kānuka, mānuka, and carex plants. They also laid mulch to hold moisture in the soil and placed protective guards around each plant so rabbits would not eat the leaves.

After three months, the students noticed that insects had started returning to the reserve. Small birds were feeding in the new shrubs, and the stream edge looked less bare. The group recorded the growth of the plants and compared it with earlier photos. Their teacher said the project showed how careful work can slowly improve a damaged place.

What is the main idea of this passage?

The students learned how to identify insects living near a stream. The students and volunteers worked to restore a damaged reserve with native planting. The reserve was always full of healthy native plants and birds. Rabbits caused the greatest problem for the students during weekends.