LIST MP HEKIA PARATA based in Mana

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today announced the next phase of consultation on transforming the New Zealand Teachers Council into a professional body fit for the 21st Century.

Ms Parata has released the New Zealand Teachers Council review report together with a discussion document proposing the establishment of a new professional body for teaching and education leadership.
 
“A skilled, ethical, well researched and well led education profession is vital for New Zealand’s future. Educational success does not happen without great teachers and leaders and both require our best and brightest people, and all deserve a strong professional body to support them,’’ says Ms Parata.
 
“It is in the interests of all New Zealanders that we have a strong and universally respected education profession that delivers the values, skills and knowledge that our children and young people need to be successful in the 21st century economy and society.”

The Government has a critical interest in ensuring that all young New Zealanders are getting the best education possible.
 
“Achieving this is not something the Government can or should do alone. We need the education profession with all the knowledge, expertise, and professional capabilities it can bring to the development of the highest quality teaching, and the highest quality education leadership.’’
 
The Teachers Council Review Committee took into account 177 submissions, interviews with individuals and groups from throughout the education sector, considered New Zealand and international research, and looked at similar professional bodies in the health, legal, and engineering sectors.
 
It made 24 recommendations which fall into four key themes: a new professional body, the regulatory framework for teachers, the disciplinary framework, and resourcing to support a strong, professional body.
 
In addition, the Ministerial Cross Sector Forum on Raising Achievement made recommendations about strengthening the quality of education leadership in early childhood centres and schools.

The Government has appointed a Ministerial Advisory Group to lead consultation with the sector and the public on the proposals over the next two months.
 
The Group will be headed by Dr Graham Stoop and is made up of eight other educational leaders.
 
“I’m delighted Dr Stoop has agreed to be seconded to the Ministry of Education from his duties as Chief Executive of the Education Review Office to chair this group.
 
“His experience and standing in the education sector will be hugely valuable.’’
 
One of the key findings in the review was that the Council “as it is currently structured, governed and positioned, can’t effectively set and enforce standards for entry, progression and professional accountability with the full support of the profession. It lacks a distinctive brand or effective public voice.’’
 
“The Government will work with the sector to transform the Council into a professional body for the 21st Century, geared to support a well led professional workforce that is skilled, flexible and culturally intelligent.
 
“My vision is for a strong New Zealand professional body that provides leadership and is owned and driven by the education profession. The proposed new body would drive changes to improve the quality of teaching and education leadership, and ensure robust processes are in place to protect children.’’
 
The review made a number of recommendations on a new regulatory framework. It recommended clearer separation between becoming registered as a teacher and the issuing of practising certificates, which certify the ongoing competence of teachers.
 
It also recommended that in addition to the current Limited Authority to Teach, a broader Authority to Educate is introduced to allow individuals with proven expertise to complement the teaching workforce.

The review also endorsed a move to post graduate entry to the profession for school teachers.
 
“We know the most important thing we can do to raise achievement is to raise teaching and leadership quality throughout the whole education system,’’ says Ms Parata.
 
“This is a priority for our Government. That’s why in Budget 2013 we announced we are investing $37.5 million over four years to lift the quality of teaching and leadership. This is on top of $352 million we are already planning to spend on professional learning and development for our education profession over the next four years.
 
“As the review found, to improve outcomes for all students and to address equity issues, New Zealand must have a flexible, skilled and culturally intelligent and well-led workforce.”
 
Notes to Editors:

The review of the New Zealand Teachers Council was instigated in 2010 following recommendations from the Workforce Advisory Group’s report: A Vision for the Teaching Profession.  The Government made a commitment to carry this work through in 2011.

The review started in July and took into account the findings of the Ministerial Report into the Employment of a Convicted Sex Offender in the Education Sector.

The review committee comprised Pauline Winter (chair), Dr Judith Aitken, John Morris, and Robyn Baker.

The New Zealand Teachers Council was established in 1989 following the disestablishment of the Teacher Registration Board.  It currently regulates over 100,000 registered teachers across the schools and early education sectors. Most of these (70 per cent) are fully registered with the remaining 30 per cent some way towards full registration.

The Review of the New Zealand Teachers Council; A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century, the discussion document about the establishment of a new professional body, the members of the Ministerial Advisory Group, and the terms of reference are available here: www.minedu.govt.nz/NZTCReviewProposals

Education Minister Hekia Parata has announced that nearly 700 more children will have access to quality early childhood education thanks to the Targeted Assistance for Participation Fund.

The Fund has allocated $9.3 million to early childhood education in communities of high-need in this financial year.

“More than half of all children that start school without an early childhood education live in the lowest socio-economic areas. That’s why we have focused this funding on areas identified as having the greatest need and where the biggest impact in early childhood education participation can be made.

“We must do all we can to make sure all children participate in quality early childhood education so they get the best start in life,” Ms Parata says.

Ms Parata says many families do not access quality early childhood education simply because there is not enough provision in their communities.

“This funding will help create places for children in very specific areas,” she says.

The areas to benefit from the investment include Auckland City, South Auckland, Rotorua City, Hamilton City and Porirua City.

“We know from New Zealand and international research that the early childhood years are vital to a child’s development and their future ability to learn. That is why the Government has set a target of 98 per cent of children starting school will have participated in quality early childhood education in 2016,” Ms Parata says.

“We want all children to start school confident, ready to engage, and eager to learn.’’

The Targeted Assistance for Participation Fund, which was established in 2010, creates new early childhood education opportunities by providing grants, incentives and partnership opportunities in areas that have the highest number of children not participating in early childhood education.

Applications for the 2013/14 Targeted Assistance for Participation Fund are expected to open in August 2013.  

Wellington College students Thomas Leggat and Nicholas On have been jointly awarded this year’s Prime Minister’s Award for Academic Excellence.

Education Minister Hekia Parata attended an event where Prime Minister John Key presented the award at the Top Scholar Award ceremony at Government House today.

“This Award recognises the top-achieving student in the annual New Zealand Scholarship awards and is the highest academic accolade students can aim for at secondary school,” says Ms Parata.

“Thomas and Nicholas each achieved such outstanding results in last year’s Scholarship exams, choosing between the two was impossible.”

Thomas achieved Outstanding Scholarships in Classical Studies, History, and Media Studies and Scholarships in Economics, English, Geography, and Statistics and Modelling.

Nicholas achieved Outstanding Scholarships in Chemistry, Mathematics with Calculus, Physical Education, and Statistics and Modelling and Scholarships in Biology, and Physics.

“Both students not only reached the pinnacle of academic success in their school careers, but also displayed strong leadership qualities and all-round achievement in areas such as sport and debating.

“Thomas and Nicholas’ achievements across the board show a work ethic and desire to succeed that will hold them both in good stead for future success.”

Thomas is now studying towards a conjoint Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts at the University of Auckland, while Nicholas is studying Health Sciences at the University of Otago.

Earlier at the ceremony 35 Top Subject Scholar Awards and 10 Premier Scholar Awards were presented by the Governor-General, Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae and Minister of Education Hekia Parata, respectively.

Winners of Premier Awards and the Prime Minister’s Award for Academic Excellence are recommended to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority by an expert panel of academics.

The recipients can be found here: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/news/announcing-the-2012-new-zealand-scholarship-award-winners/

The Education Amendment Bill has passed its second reading in Parliament today.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says the Bill will help more young New Zealanders to thrive in the education system.  

“We have an education system that is among the best in the world. On average, four out of five of our kids are successfully getting the qualifications they need from school and going on to lead the lives they want to.

“But our plan is about getting five out of five and that requires a deeper look at all that we’re currently doing in the education system and being prepared to make changes to help all our young people get the better future they deserve,” says Ms Parata.

The measures in this Bill will help achieve the Government’s Better Public Service target is for increasing participation in early childhood education and raising achievement in NCEA Level 2.

It also enables changes and clarifications to be made to such areas as the functions and powers of school boards, alternative board constitutions, the allocation of National Student Numbers and the use of Crown land for building ECE centres.

“Many vulnerable students are from Maori, Pasifika and low socio-economic backgrounds, and those with special needs and are not as well served by the current system. It is vital we bring fresh approaches, so they have an approach to learning that works best for them.”

Ms Parata says Partnership Schools will allow the education, business and community sectors to work together to create new opportunities for student achievement.

“By introducing a new type of school that improves results by our vulnerable children in schools, and by enabling schools to deliver safe learning environments, the Bill will bring positive changes to our education system.

We have strengthened the compliance process for Partnership Schools following feedback from submitters, making them accountable to the Ombudsman for disciplinary decisions. They are also required to set up an independent review process to manage disputes.

“This recognises how important it is for parents to be able to access an independent review of decisions made, and the Bill sets out a clear process which ensures that schools are accountable to all their stakeholders,” says Ms Parata.

The Bill also clarifies powers for teachers or authorised staff members in the search, surrender and retention area.

“The Bill provides schools the legal backing they need to protect the safety of their students and classrooms while at the same time protecting the dignity and respecting the rights of students.

“We want to ensure the well-being of our school community as a whole and provisions in this Bill help support that.”   

The Education Amendment Bill is expected to progress through its final stages by the middle of the year.  


Notes for editors:

Partnership schools

•    The Bill creates the legal framework for a third type of school within the schooling network:  partnership schools/kura hourua.  The other two types of schools are State schools (including State integrated schools) and private schools.

•    Partnership schools/kura hourua are one of a number of new initiatives targeted towards addressing educational underachievement.  The Bill provides parents and students with another option to choose from, when considering the type of education that works for them.

•    Under the Bill, partnership schools/kura hourua will have more flexibility to make decisions about how they operate and use funding to deliver specific school level targets.  

•    Partnership schools/kura hourua will have a sponsor that the Minister of Education will approve to operate the school.  The sponsor will sign a contract with the Crown that sets out the responsibilities and obligations of both parties.

Search, Surrender and Retention

The Bill creates appropriate legal powers of search, surrender and retention which can be used in the schooling context.  

•    Schools have developed a range of practices for responding to students bringing harmful items onto school property.  The Bill gives schools specific powers, relating to the surrender and retention of property, while providing clarity about methods of search and seizure in schools to avoid practices which are considered overly intrusive or invasive.  
•    The proposed approach will contribute to safer learning environments, which in turn will better enable schools to focus on the goals the Government has set in relation to the achievement of their students, including the goal of 85% of 18 year olds achieving NCEA Level 2 (or an equivalent qualification) in 2017.
•    A teacher or authorised staff member will be able to require a student to hand over any item, including electronic devices, to ensure the physical or emotional safety, or to effectively manage the learning of those under their supervision.
•    Teachers or staff members will be able to confiscate items for a reasonable period and dispose of items (where appropriate).
•    A teacher or authorised staff member is prohibited from:
o    Physically searching a student
o    Using physical force, against a student
o    Requiring a student to provide a bodily sample (ie pre-suspension, but can request a student to participate in voluntary programmes that require drug tests as a condition)
o    Carrying out random or blanket searches

•    Under the bill, a contractor may bring a trained search dog onto school premises to search school property such as lockers and desks.
•    The Ministry will be required to issue rules and guidelines having worked with the sector, covering the practical aspects of the new search and seizure regime.  These will be issued at the same time as the relevant provisions in the Bill come into force (1 January 2014).

The objectives underpinning this amendment are to:
•    Provide schools with surrender and retention powers which contribute toward learning environments that are both safe and conducive to positive student behaviour
•    Balance the needs of teachers to effectively manage their students and provide safe learning environments, with the rights of the students to be free from unreasonable search, surrender and retention
•    Prohibit methods of search, surrender and retention that are considered to be overly intrusive and invasive.

As reported back, the Select Committee recommended in response to concerns expressed by the education sector in submissions. They are as follows:

•    Create a power for school boards to authorise appropriate staff other than teachers, such as guidance counsellors, to exercise the powers of surrender and retention of property.
•    A teacher or other staff member can require a student to hand over a bag or other container and allow it to be searched if they believe the student is in possession of a harmful item.
•    Where a student in these circumstances refuses to hand over a harmful item which is concealed in clothing, the teacher or staff member can require the student to remove their outer clothing, or any head covering, gloves, footwear, and socks for the purpose of a search for those items
•    Searches must be carried out with sensitivity and afford the student the maximum privacy and decency, and where practicable the search is to be carried out by a teacher of the same sex as the student, in the presence of another teacher or authorised staff member of the same sex.
•    Where a student refuses to comply with a request, the teacher or authorised staff member may take disciplinary steps to manage the student’s behaviour.
•    Schools will be able to encourage a student to be involved in a voluntary drug programme that involves testing of bodily samples, including those that require students to provide drug tests as part of a pre-suspension disciplinary process.   (Boards can already require a student to undergo drug tests as part of a post suspension disciplinary process under other provisions in the Education Act)
•    A student cannot be forced to undergo the drug test or provide a bodily sample if they do not wish to – in that case the Boards of Trustees need to consider other options which may include alternative disciplinary processes or referral to drug counselling.
•    Schools will be able to engage contractors to conduct searches of school property through the use of dogs.  The select committee recommendation specifies what property the dogs should be able to search.
•    Schools are still able to contact the Police if they suspect a student is under the influence, or in the possession, of drugs. In certain situations the Police can exercise search and seizure powers in schools with regard to students and their bags including the use of drug dogs into schools.
•    A teacher or an authorised staff member will be prohibited from:
o    physically searching a student
o    using physical force against a student
o    Requiring a student to provide a bodily sample (ie pre-suspension, but can request a student to participate in voluntary programmes that require drug tests as a condition)

•    Under the bill, a contractor may bring a trained search dog onto school premises to search school property such as lockers and desks.
•    The Secretary for Education will be required to issue rules and guidelines for the sector, covering the practical aspects of the new search, surrender and retention.  The guidelines will be prepared in consultation with the sector and boards must give regard to these in forming their policies.  These will be issued at the same time as the relevant provisions in the Bill come into force (1 January 2014).