30 April and 1 May 2014

Education minister praises girls' achievements

Gisborne Herald
“I also note the significant improvement in your Maori and Pasifika students' achievement. They achieved above the national average for Māori and Pasifika students. “These results are a testament to the hard work done by the school, its teachers and ...

School ordered to stop charges

Auckland stuff.co.nz
... role models for PNG Schools play zone game to boost rolls. A secondary school has been ordered to stop charging parents for school books, photocopying and food ingredients after the Ombudsman found it to be breaching the right to a free education.

Is education in New Zealand free?

Weigh in.

IHC takes action over discrimination claims

Stuff.co.nz
The school argued the student posed a risk to other students. Grant said the case highlighted what could go wrong when a school didn't support students with special needs. "These students are legally entitled to attend their local schools," Grant said.

Education 'needs an enema'

Stuff.co.nz
Education is one of the biggest issues in this year's election for voters across the political spectrum. We've asked our readers to share what they would like to see happen in the sector. I have gone back to study towards being a teacher for this ...

What our education system needs is....

Stuff.co.nz
Charter schools, Christchurch school closures and student-loan defaulters have all been hot topics of debate. Education was the key focus of the prime minister's state of the nation address in January, with announcements including lucrative allowances ...

Best way to serve the community - don't serve truants

Marlborough Express
Judge Andrew Becroft, who recently opened Te Kooti Rangatahi ki Rahui Pokeka, a Maori based youth court in Huntly, said non-participation in school was "probably the greatest correlative to youth offending". "Learning difficulties, behavioral ...

Goalposts moved for anti-truancy programme

Auckland stuff.co.nz
It was time consuming for teachers chasing truants and the catch-up required in the classroom on their return hindered other students, she said. Frimley School principal Malcolm Dixon said there were no significant improvements with the service and the ...

Strong Start to Learning Link

There has been a positive response to learning links introduced this year between secondary schools and tertiary education. For the first time NorthTec is piloting a series of programmes that engage secondary school students in learning with NorthTec.

NZ claims two places in list of dynamic young universities

PUBLICATION OF THE THIRD ANNUAL ‘ TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION 100 UNDER 50’ RANKING - New Zealand claims two places in the hot list of the world’s dynamic young universities...

Otago University students break new ground for election

Otago University's politics students are breaking down old boundaries to directly involve themselves in this year's general election.

Tuesday, 29 April 2014

Anne Salmond: Minister wrong to trample student rights

New Zealand Herald
The current attempt by the Minister of Tertiary Education, Steven Joyce, to whip the country's universities into line with Government thinking by restructuring university councils is heavy handed and misguided. There is a breath-taking arrogance in the ...

Cyber-bully students target teachers 

As students get more tech-savvy at creating offensive and defamatory websites, it's teachers who are in the firing line of online bullying.

Now open: 2015 study awards and sabbaticals 

Applications are now open for the 2015 study awards, sabbaticals and study support grants available to principals and other leaders:

• Primary principals
• Secondary principals
• Area school principals
• Senior secondary leaders

Maths whiz's website helps others to learn 

12-year-old maths whiz who is studying at university is trying to help other students learn.Tristan Pang, who attained 91 per cent in the Cambridge A Level exam, is head boy at Ficino School in Mt Eden, and is also taking maths...

Monday, 28 April 2014

Insight for 27 April 2014 - Closing the Education Gap

Education reporter, John Gerritsen talks to world leaders in education to find out what makes a top school systems so good.

World's education experts share best ways of improving schools

Education experts from around the world are worried by New Zealand's adoption of charter schools and say the Government's relationships with teachers is stressed.

NZ Principals' Federation national president Philip Harding 

Philip Harding attended The International Summit on the Teaching Profession. He talks about how New Zealand can achieve better educational outcomes.

Foreign language teaching archaic: academic

Stuff.co.nz
McCaffery's research into the academic achievements of pupils involved in the programme gave hints as to why that demand was growing. "They are outstanding," he said. McCaffery said students were well above national standards and he was not surprised.

Schools play zone game to boost rolls

Stuff.co.nz
Big Christchurch secondary schools continue to swallow up pupils to the detriment of others and principals are urging the Education Ministry to address zoning issues before it is too late. Primary schools also filling their rolls with out of zone ...

Phillipstown School board's actions commendable

Stuff.co.nz
In this article - among other matters - Potiki was highly critical of the Phillipstown School Board of Trustees' decision to take action in the High Court, for the second time, over the matter of (perceived) unlawful consultation between the Minister ...

Waikato top of class at cheating 

About 240 students were disciplined for plagiarism or cheating at the University of Waikato last year, despite having one of the smallest rolls in the country.

Head of school with bully problem requests leave

Stuff.co.nz
The principal of a Porirua college plagued by violence and bullying may not return next term. Teresa Cargo had requested a substantial period of leave from Bishop Viard College, board of trustees chairman Allan Holden confirmed yesterday. The board ...

Wednesday, 16 April 2014

NZnews is taking a break for the Easter and ANZAC holidays. Posts will return on 28 April.

Industry Training & Apprenticeships Amendment Bill passes third reading

Steven Joyce | Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
Legislation that completes the Government’s comprehensive reforms to industry training today passed its third and final reading in Parliament. “The Industry Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill is a crucial part of the Government’s comprehensive reforms to industry training, which will achieve better performance for employers, for trainees and apprentices, and also for taxpayers,” Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says. ...

Overseas student loans collection hits $100m Steven Joyce | Revenue

Over $100 million of additional taxpayer money has now been collected from overseas-based borrowers in an initiative that will help keep the scheme sustainable for future students and taxpayers, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Revenue Minister Todd McClay say. The overseas-based borrowers initiative began as a small pilot programme in 2010 and has since expanded to comprehensively target borrowers in default of their repayment obligations across Australia and the United Kingdom, plus parts of Europe, North America and Asia. ...

NCEA exam mix up 'regrettable'

3News NZ
Education Minister Hekia Parata says it is "regrettable" NCEA exam booklets belonging to 455 students were sent to the wrong addresses. Under questioning in the House by Labour education spokesman Chris Hipkins today, Ms Parata said she'd know ...

Hekia Parata kept exam book errors from schools

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Schools will be appalled to learn Education Minister Hekia Parata knew since January that hundreds of exam booklets had been returned to the wrong students but said nothing about it, Labour's Education Spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. “Exams are ...

Ananish Chaudhuri: Reforms blind to universities' aims

A law before Parliament will dramatically change the composition and role of university councils. The council oversees the running of the university, and is empowered to appoint the Vice-Chancellor and shape the university's mission...

Capital raising for big education group

3News NZ
ASX-listed Arowana International wants to raise up to $234 million in the dual-listing of its Intueri Education Group, which will establish New Zealand's biggest private training establishment (PTE). The Australian company plans to list an enlarged ...
Arowana seeks up to $234M in dual-listing NZ Intueri unit

Communicating Learning: Parent Engagement Forum

Evidence shows that parents and whānau can have a huge impact on children’s learning. To support schools and ECEs in their efforts to build strong learning-focused partnerships with parents and whanau, Learning Auckland presents Communicating Learning: Parent ...

$6m classroom block to transform school's campus

Auckland Grammar School is set to be transformed by a multi-million-dollar building project.The school will build a $6.4 million classroom block at the heart of its campus on Mountain Rd, Epsom.The 16-room, three-storey building...

Innovative classroom tool has sound impact on literacy

Techday NZ
Classrooms around the globe now have free access to Booktrack Classroom, a dedicated education platform that has already shown its potential in a University of Auckland study. The results of the randomised study in 260 students found that those who ...

Makeover for New Zealand’s eLearning Guidelines

Makeover for New Zealand’s eLearning Guidelines offers better support for tertiary online teaching and learning.

First female principal for Rosehill College

Auckland stuff.co.nz
Upon her return home she became a dean at Howick College and spent 15 years at Diocesan School for Girls as head of the mathematics department. "I'm looking forward to helping [Rosehill] students towards academic achievement in all their areas of ...

Law Schools to work closer together after signing

The University of Waikato’s Te Piringa - Faculty of Law has signed a letter of intent with the School of Law at China’s Yantai University.

Kids' vege patch could feed entire school

3News NZ
The students haven't picked this up in a classroom; they're learning it first-hand in a community garden at their school. Julia Milne launched the project two years ago as a way of tackling child poverty, and since then it has grown – just like the ...

Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Maori focus for new teaching degree

waateanews.com
She says it's suited to people who want to improve the educational outcomes for our country's most vulnerable children, especially Maori and Pacific Island children, children with special needs and those living in low socio-economic areas. There will ...

Schools kept in dark on NCEA errors

Stuff.co.nz
Schools kept in dark on NCEA errors. JO MOIR ... NZQA deputy chief executive of assessment Richard Thornton said the error was not a privacy breach because the exam booklets did not contain any information that could identify a person. He said the next ...

Intueri Education documents near

Stuff.co.nz
Intueri, advised by Macquarie Capital and UBS, has been meeting institutional investors in Australia and New Zealand over the past week and is ready to pull the trigger on an equity raising worth A$180m (NZ$195m) to A$200m. Intueri is the largest ...

Nelson schools losing students

Stuff.co.nz
The service aimed to keep students with learning and behaviour issues in their own communities rather than moving them to residential schools like Salisbury. She said the school was "very quiet" at the moment. Despite this, Ministry of Education head ...

Kohanga working party welcomed

Radio New Zealand
A kohanga reo kaimahi [leader] is relieved a working party has been set up to investigate how the movement should move forward, saying it removes the burden from kohanga whanau. Kohanga Reo National Trust HQ in Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Diego ...

Key swipes at kohanga reo press ban

Prime Minister John Key has taken a swipe at kohanga reo leaders after they banned the journalists who broke a story about allegations of misspending from attending a press conference.

Monday, 14 April 2014

Low education link to violent relationships

Women with lower levels of education are more likely to be involved in a violent relationship, a New Plymouth woman has learned.

New qualification arms teachers with digital skills

Techday NZ
Of course, students will also benefit, with tech savvy teachers changing their classroom experiences for the better. While The Mind ... “To reach every child we need to help empower teachers, supporting them to use new technology, learning platforms ...
More Kiwi Kids to Benefit From Technology Savvy Teachers
Mind Lab upgrades primary education

Pupils line up for life lessons in holidays

Jock Hamilton could be hanging out with his 16-year-old mates in the April school holidays but instead the chance to learn how to write a CV, buy shares and build a deck has him signed up for a programme called "Life101".The keen...

Kohanga Reo founder tells of 'shame

'New Zealand Herald
The founder of the kohanga reo movement, Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, has spoken of a "sense of shame" over allegations of misspending of public money and investigations into financial discrepancies at the Kohanga Reo National Trust. "A movement that ...
Maori say no to Kohanga Reo meddling
Kohanga Reo movement tells Govt not to interfere
Kohanga Reo Hui Taumata 'ends with broad agreement'

University of Auckland offers new Master of Teaching degree

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Dr Lexie Grudnoff, Deputy Dean (Teacher Education), at the Faculty of Education, says the master's degree has been specifically designed for top achieving graduates wanting to pursue a rewarding career in teaching and is a brand new gateway for ...

What is Te Kotahitanga?

StarPhoenix
According to the New Zealand Education Gazette, Te Kotahitanga “challenges the notion that Maori underachievement can be blamed on Maori students and their home environments,” which can leave many teachers “feeling powerless to make a difference.

Saskatchewan standardized testing plan scrapped

Regina Leader-Post
The First Nations initiative will be based on a successful New Zealand model called Te Kotahitanga, which was developed to improve the educational achievement of Maori secondary school students. Florizone said while the plan doesn't mean there will be ...

Friday, 11 April 2014

School merger may be delayed

Stuff.co.nz
She announced on Wednesday the school would be merged on the Woolston School site from January 2015, despite an 18-month legal wrangle and opposition from the Phillipstown community. The decision is to be challenged by Phillipstown School ...
Christchurch school wins brief reprieve

Time for Phillipstown leadership, instead of hysteria

Stuff.co.nz
We have kids that attend a local school and it does play an important part in our community but we are predicting changes some time in the near future. There are three schools between here and Dunedin and only about 300 pupils with the spread being far ...

School facing closure claims backdown by Education Minister 

A little Christchurch school fighting closure claims to have scored a backdown from the Education Minister, Hekia Parata, as it prepares for another legal challenge.

2400 Maori graduate Awanuiarangi

Radio New Zealand
Professor Smith says the wananga is providing for Maori who have traditionally missed out on education opportunities. He is urging other universities to perform well in this arena too, saying it is important thatMaori be able to play a full part in ...

Kohanga Reo - time to move forward

Some Kohanga Reo say a crucial hui this weekend must ensure the trust gets back on track and focusses on the education of tamariki.

Programme to increase Pasifika NCEA achievement praised

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
“Pasifika Power up for NCEA” is part of the Government's PasifikaEducation Plan 2013-2017 which uses the power of communities to help parents and students make informed choices about study choices and career opportunities. As part of the programme, ...

New financial education toolbox rolled out to schools

Teachers across New Zealand will now have access to a brand new suite of tools and resources to help them teach financial literacy in the classroom. The FCP toolkit (Financial Capability Progressions toolkit) has been launched to all schools after ...

UPDATED - Financial capability in the curriculum

Financial capability is a theme that schools could use for effective cross-curricular teaching and learning programmes. The package has been fully revised and updated, with notable new features:

• new school stories and discussion from industry experts
• development of the financial capability progressions
• new financial capability discussion tool.

Mind Lab upgrades primary education

Teachers will soon be able to learn new ways to open children's minds to technology.

First Bachelor of Youth Development Degrees to be Awarded

An opportunity to learn alongside leading practitioners in youth work was the catalyst for Wilson Chan to study on the Wellington Institute of Technology’s Bachelor of Youth Development degree.

St Joseph's teen tops te reo exam

waateanews.com
A year 11 St Joseph's Maori Girls' College student has won an Outstanding Scholarship in te reo Maori. 15-year-old Ngapera Aperahama says it would allow her to take her education to a higher level. She wants to study Maori philosophy and to become a ...

School's hard line on drugs

Auckland stuff.co.nz
Young Life NZ Trust director Mike Turinsky says there is a decrease in the presence of drugs in East Auckland schools. Young Life provides community youth workers to schools in areas where caring adults are needed. He says there is no quick remedy but ...

Thursday, 10 April 2014

Decision to merge Phillipstown and Woolston Schools

Hekia Parata | Education
The Education Minister Hekia Parata has announced her decision on the proposed merger of Phillipstown School and Woolston School. "After a period of continued consultation and fresh consideration of the merger proposal, I have made a new decision that these schools will merge. ...

High Court says there is a case to answer in relation to leaky school building allegations

Nikki Kaye | Education
Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye said today that legal action will continue in relation to the supply of allegedly defective wall cladding materials by Carter Holt Harvey (CHH). This follows CHH failing to have the Ministry of Education’s product liability claim struck out in the High Court last week. “I am pleased with the recent judgement and support the Ministry continuing to pursue all avenues that support delivery of the best possible learning environments for our students and teachers,” Ms Kaye says. ...

Phillipstown, Woolston schools to merge

Stuff.co.nz
Education Minister Hekia Parata announced the decision to continue with the merger this morning. The two schools will merge onto the Woolston School site from the start of the 2015 school year. Parata said made the decision to stick with the proposal ...

Phillipstown School will close
Decision to merge Phillipstown and Woolston Schools

Phillipstown School stands defiant against Parata 

Phillipstown School will launch a second round of legal action against Education Minister Hekia Parata over her final decision to merge it on the site of Woolston School.

Phillipstown lawyers to meet with Minister's legal team 

The lawyers for a Christchurch school will today meet with Ministry counterparts in an attempt to stop Hekia Parata pressing on with a planned merger.

Women need to act to save seats on councils

Parliament needs to hear from women if it is going to vote to protect women’s voice on university and wānanga councils says TEU women’s vice-president Cat Pausé.

Schools encouraged to engage with parents with bad education experiences

Engaging with parents who suffered negative experiences during their own education is helping their children achieve greater academic success, a select committee has heard today.A submission from Adult and Community Education (ACE)...

NZEI unhappy about school leadership package

Primary teachers' union NZEI said tonight its members were not happy about having the new $360 million school leadership package sprung on them without consultation.But it will wait until it gets more detail about the policy proposal...

NZEI members to vote on new education roles

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter says teachers and principals are extremely cynical about the new package because it totally ignores the biggest problem in our education system – the one in four kids who live in poverty and the impact of that on ...

Union cynical about expert teacher plan

Māori researchers keep pressure on funding stalemate

Māori researchers are calling on Government Ministers to come up with ways of tackling the issue of Māori research funding. They believe the decision not to advance Māori research body Ngā Pae o Te Māramatanga into the final round for Centre of Research ...

Cultural competency for teachers

Radio New Zealand
The Ministry of Education is introducing fresh requirements for teachers, new and old, to be culturally competent and know how to teach Māori students. Officials in charge of the Maori learning strategy, Ka Hikitia, appeared before the Parliamentary ...

Peter Lyons: Teacher performance not an exact science

What makes a good teacher? I just watched a short piece on TV about what makes a good teacher, albeit on one of those infotainment programmes that have replaced investigative reporting.The presenters were adamant that they knew...

Why do we study?

Interest.co.nz
Education as an investment was the primary reason I took on a degree in the first place but, even though it is the largest investment I have made in my life, I was one of those students who never calculated whether it was financially worthwhile. So ...

Intueri Education poised to list

Auckland stuff.co.nz
Intueri Education includes North Shore International Academy, The Cut Above Academy, Elite International School of Beauty and Spa Therapies, Design & Arts College and NZ School of Commercial Diver Training. In a pre-IPO restructuring, Arowana has ...

Hekia Parata fails to answer basic questions

Education Minister Hekia Parata’s inability to answer even the most basic questions about her proposed new Executive Principal roles will have alarm bells ringing in school communities all around the country, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris ...

Trustees nonplussed at sacking

Stuff.co.nz
Trustees at a south Taranaki school are questioning the timing of a Government move to sack them. Laura Snowden was appointed commissioner to Manaia Primary School after Education Minister Hekia Parata dissolved the board of trustees last month, but ...

Parenting - Teaching kids critical thinking

Yvonne Morrison is a former school teacher and scientist and now childrens author. Her latest book is "The Three Bears … Sort Of" - which is a child friendly introduction to the process of skeptical thinking.

Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Primary teachers union considering opposing government plan

The union representing primary school teachers will decide today whether to back the government's $360 million plan to create new roles for top teachers and principals.

Schools do well in NCEA

Stuff.co.nz
The school had received a letter yesterday from Education Minister Hekia Parata, congratulating it on its achievement and its improvement during the past two years, she said. Smith credited the good results to small class sizes, found in many ...

Kohanga trust lashes out

Auckland stuff.co.nz
The Kohanga Reo National Trust has angrily hit back at the Government's decision not to renew a $2.5 million contract, rejecting accusations that it has failed to address concerns over misspending. Education Minister Hekia Parata and Maori Affairs ..

Principals fire warning shot over 'expert' plan

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
“This Government has been plagued by mistakes whether it be class sizes, Novopay, unlawful school mergers in Christchurch, unpopular national standards or the dramatic decline in our OECD PISA rankings. “This is a Government which has proven it ...

Children’s beliefs affect maths performance

A general perception that New Zealand school children are not doing as well as they should in maths may not be entirely correct, a University of Canterbury researcher has found.

School Principals Set Conditions Following Wellington Meeting

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
School Principals from across the country gathered in Wellington on Friday to discuss the latest government policy, 'Investing for Educational Success'. They recommended that continued participation by principals in this initiative is contingent upon ...

Chromebooks Connect Kura

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Ōtaki will take a giant leap towards becoming a world leader in digital education today and no one is more excited than the kids of Te Kura a Iwi o Whakatupuranga Rua Mano. Students at the Ōtaki based Māori language immersion school are set to ...

Monday, 7 April 2014

Tech industry needs students to follow IT career path

Techday NZ
The event was part of the successful ICT-Connect school outreach programme that promotes IT as a career to students, and encourages them to make subject choices that align with tertiary qualifications in the tech field. Industry leaders estimate there ...

Max Rashbrooke - young people and inequality

This month, on Radio New Zealand's online service The Wireless they're exploring the theme of 'value'. Max Rashbrooke, editor of 'Inequality: A New Zealand Crisis' is contributing to The Wireless's coverage and he talks to Wallace Chapman about young people's experience and thoughts on egalitarianism in our country.

Lecturer to fight Lincoln job cuts 

A Lincoln University senior lecturer is preparing to fight proposed job cuts he believes are a "blatant attack" on staff rights.

NZ first as uni reveals iPad app…

Techday NZ
The iPad app provides a multimedia enriched reading experience for those with an interest in the work of the university, and in New Zealand in general. With the app, users get a vivid take on academia, with embedded videos and images and built-in ...

International honours for Māori researchers

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
“The Māori Party certainly hopes the Minister of Tertiary Education takes note of the high esteem in which Professor Graham Smith and Professor Linda Smith are held, as reflected in these fellowships, and considers how their work can best be honoured in their homeland.”.

Mother denounces school's reaction

The Nelson Mail
The Ministry of Education's head of sector enablement and support, Katrina Casey, said the ministry was "comfortable" with how the school had handled the situation. The girl's mother disagreed, saying the principal did not seek help for the children ...

School principal retiring after 35-year teaching career

Otago Daily Times
During her teaching career, she has gained much experience in Maori education, and Tainui school has gained a reputation for embracing te reo Maori and tikanga. Mrs McQuillan-Mains has been asked to share that knowledge with other teachers as a Maori ...

Friday, 4 April 2014

NCEA focus pays off for Maori pupils

New Zealand Herald
One of the key initiatives the school is involved in is He Kakano, a professional development programme, funded by the Ministry ofEducation, helping to build Maori students' confidence. "It's about helping build leadership in them and focuses on ...

Education system 'allowing too many Maori to fail'

Stuff.co.nz
The problem was so big that a 2006 international survey found that 70 per cent of Maori adults in New Zealand were below the minimum world standards for literacy and numeracy. Waikato University's National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults ...

Why university means nothing now

Stuff.co.nz
In life, you are set to follow one straight and narrow path: primary school, high school then university, right? So that's what I did. Fifty years ago it was different, you were only given a couple of career choices and that was that, you were set for ...

Universal student allowances remove a barrier to education | TEU ...

The third blueprint, on student well-being, demands universal student allowances and moves to eliminate financial barriers to students learning – including student fees. TEU national president Lesley Francey called the ...

Minister of Education compromises senior OECD official

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
... through design or ignorance, has apparently been persuaded to comment on New Zealand's domestic education policy matters without understanding the controversies that exist around policies such as Investing in Educational Success, National Standards ...

Students share their culture

Auckland stuff.co.nz
A team of international ministers and delegates are returning home with an insight into Maori education and culture thanks to students from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hoani Waititi Marae. The marae vibrated with soulful song as pupils performed at an ...

Slow start in student employment search | Otago Daily Times Online ...

The Otago University Students' Association said student earnings overall through Student Job Search in Otago had last year fallen about 8.6%, to about $7.4 million, from $8.1 million the previous year. Earnings had also ...

Social Progress Index - great result but not room for complancy ...

These barriers to tertiary education include limits on student allowances, rising fees, limits on student loans, and cuts in regional provision of tertiary education. Find out more in Te Kaupapa Whaioranga. Print Friendly .... The TEU is a new union for all staff; everybody who works in tertiary education, including polytechnics, teacher education, universities, wānanga and private training institutions, REAPs and OTEPs. We are a democratic organisation and we stand up ...

Huge job losses at Lincoln

TEU - Tertiary Education Union

The Tertiary Education Union – Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa. Employment / Lincoln University · 0 ... Universal student allowances remove a barrier to education | TEU - Tertiary Education Union says: […] Vice-chancellor must let ... The TEU is a new union for all staff; everybody who works in tertiary education, including polytechnics, teacher education, universities, wānanga and private training institutions, REAPs and OTEPs. We are a democratic organisation and ...

Thursday, 3 April 2014

Class conflict: PPTA boycotts charter schools

3News NZ
The first of the Government's controversial new charter schools are up and running and already the teachers' union wants them closed down. Guyon Espiner checks them out and stops by for a heart-to-heart chat with the PPTA. If you had one word to ...

Principals' reaction mixed to advent of exams on demand

Southland Times
Within five years, students could be sitting exams when they're ready, rather than waiting for the traditional exam period - but for some schools that's not fast enough. Sitting, marking and returning exam booklets online once a student was ready to be ...

Another record year for Maori graduates

Voxy
In a highlight of the day, decades of commitment to MÄ ori development,education and achievement will be recognised with the presentation of three honorary doctorates. NgÄ iterangi leaders Hauata Palmer and Kihi NgÄ tai and educator Georgina Kingi ...

Digital media skills essential for 21st century workforce

Techday NZ
New Zealand and Australian educators agree that digital media skills are essential for employability, says an Adobe study presented at this week's 9th annual Adobe Education Leadership Forum held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 'Education, Creativity ...

Medical education makes leap forward

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
However everyone involved in prevocational training will be able to use the learning outcomes in the NZCF as a guide for training and educationalprogrammes. 'The NZCF is underpinned by two central concepts,' said Mr Connolly. 'The first is that ...

NCEA results: One school's stellar climb 

A little over six years ago, Selwyn College in Auckland was struggling.The Government took over its governance after poor student achievement results, a bitter fight for control by opposing parent groups and the resignation of its...

Students meet to fight

Auckland stuff.co.nz
"Kelston is achieving some really great things in the classroom." Henderson High School is the closest secondary school to the vicinity of the organised fights but principal Mike Purcell is certain his students aren't involved. His staff are active in ...

Govt-appointed board to replace commissioner at school

A government-appointed board is to be put in charge of a Northland school that's been under the control of a commissioner for two years.

Attempt to silence staff at Lincoln University condemned

Lincoln University staff received an email from the university's communications team today instructing them to not respond to media requests for comment on proposed restructuring plans..

Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Principals' reaction mixed to advent of exams on demand

Stuff.co.nz
Kapiti College principal Tony Kane said most year 9 and 10 students used their own devices in the classroom, and he would be thrilled if online exams were available for them. "Five years is probably a bit too long away . . . if we had some tools to ...

Low pay in education sector highlighted

3News NZ
Several hundred people marched in Auckland and gathered at parliament in Wellington to highlight the issue of low pay in the education sector. Primary teachers union NZEI Te Riu Roa president Judith Nowotarski says low pay is an issue within the ...

Kura impress international visitors

waateanews.com
Education Minister Hekia Parata says New Zealand's approach toMaori education sparked the interest of overseas experts during the weekend's International Education Summit on the teaching profession at parliament. New Zealand hosted delegations from ...

Trust denies problems at charter school

Radio New Zealand
A trust that sponsors a rural Maori charter school in Northland says it's had teething problems - but the students are fine. Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru is advertising for three teachers and the Ministry ofEducation says it experienced some ...

Handful of schools increase domination of Scholarship results

New figures show a handful of schools, mostly in Auckland, are increasingly dominating the elite Scholarship exams.

Adopt the Shanghai approach to improve student learning – NZEI

NZEI Te Riu Roa agrees that New Zealand could match Shanghai’s PISA test score of student achievement by adopting a similar strategy of excluding results that make us look bad. 

Outstanding teachers honoured

Otago Daily Times
Kaupapa Maori awards went to Dr Suzanne Pitama, of the university's Christchurch campus, as well as to Dr Karyn Paringatai; and General Awards went to Dr Ros Whiting, Dr Lynnette Jones and Dr Timothy Cooper. At a university function in their honour ...

Rating university 'spinouts'

Stuff.co.nz
These days it's standard for New Zealand universities to include a commercialisation arm, and there is a plethora of agencies, grants and incubators dedicated to transforming promising research into bankable ventures. On recent evidence you'd suspect ...

Union to present student allowance plan

MSN NZ News
"And the best way to demonstrate that we are committing our education system to the wellbeing of students first and foremost, rather than corporations, is not to saddle them with huge debts while they study." The union is presenting its plan in ...

Universities welcome Tertiary Education Strategy

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Universities NZ Chair Professor Roy Crawford says that the Government's Strategy reflects the feedback it received from the tertiary educationsector and universities will be working collaboratively with Government to make an optimal contribution to ...

University of Otago welcomes science challenge role

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
The University of Otago's keystone role within the first of the Government's multi-million dollar science challenges is likely to open up new and exciting opportunities for researchers and students. The Government announced today that Otago will team ...

Goodbye to little school on river

It's been 88 years since its doors opened and just three years since it got new buildings, but a falling roll has meant the time has come to abandon Crownthorpe School.

National uses earthquakes to privatise education

Scoop.co.nz (press release)
“Christchurch kids have suffered enough from stuff ups over the Government's so-called educational renewal; now the EducationMinster is rubbing salt into the wounds by selling off their schools. “The Green Party believes that profit-making businesses ...