12. Teachers—SupplyCHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Associate Minister of EducationTeachers—Supply12. CHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Associate Minister of Education: Does she stand by the Minister of Education's statement regarding teacher shortages that this isn't a crisis it's a shortage but for the schools experiencing the shortage they can feel like it's a crisis"?Hon NIKKI KAYE (Associate Minister of Education): While that is not a statement I made I do agree with Minister Parata's statement that there is no crisis and that there are shortages of teachers in some subjects and locations. Overall teacher vacancies have actually declined from close to 12000 in 2009 to just over 8000 now. Nationwide we have more than 80000 registered teachers in the schooling sector. It is also important to remember that vacancies occur for anyone who moves inside the sector—for example getting promoted or going on parental leave but their job is held. It is not necessarily a proxy for people leaving the profession.Chris Hipkins: When the Minister of Education stated "There isn't literally a shortage but there are gaps in some subjects and in some of the skill levels." which subjects and skill levels was she referring to?Hon NIKKI KAYE: I think she has previously mentioned that we have got issues around science technology teachers and also Te Reo.Chris Hipkins: How does the Minister of Education define the difference between a shortage and a crisis?Hon NIKKI KAYE: I think there are several points to make on this. Previously under the last Labour Government where we saw the need to intervene was to add a formal process that required teaching to be put on the essential skills and demand list. We are not at that point. Under the last Labour Government we did have to do that. So from our perspective when we have got a situation where we do not have overall numbers of fewer teachers then we do not consider it a crisis. I think the member would be interested to know that actually we have seen lower attrition in the last couple of years down at 4800.Chris Hipkins: When the Minister of Education made that claim had she been briefed on the fact that the number of teaching graduates from initial teacher education programmes has consistently declined from a peak of 5630 in 2012 to just 4045 in 2015?Hon NIKKI KAYE: Again while I cannot speak for the Minister of Education what I can say is—Chris Hipkins: Yes you can; you have to.Hon NIKKI KAYE: —but I am happy to answer the question. We do take into account the overall graduate numbers. As I said previously in my other answer looking at the overall attrition we have seen a drop in attrition. It is not a one-to-one scenario. We have a range of sources for new teachers. They are not just graduates. We have teachers returning from overseas. We also have overseas teachers recruited and we are investing heavily in that area.Dr Jian Yang: What is the Government doing to improve not only the supply but the quality of teaching?Hon NIKKI KAYE: Last year we announced a $9 million package that funds 100 more scholarships for science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates a recruitment drive to bring home New Zealanders and other teachers from overseas for the first time ever promoting teaching as a career to tertiary STEM students and support for individual schools that are having trouble recruiting. We are also committed to lifting the quality of teaching in New Zealand including by introducing communities of learning kāhui ako to help teachers actually focus on teaching and sharing their experience. In 2015 we set up the Education Council and we have set up a new employment-based teacher education pilot through Teach First NZ."