Friday 3 July 2015

NZ educators among the world’s best
Hekia Parata | Education
New Zealand’s teaching profession is amongst the most highly trained, best qualified, and most experienced in the world, Education Minister Hekia Parata says. The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) asked teachers of Year 7 to 10 students from 34 countries about their schools and their work. In New Zealand, more than 2,800 Year 7 to 10 teachers from 163 schools took part. ...

Network for Learning board reappointments
Nikki Kaye | Education
Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced the reappointment of all the directors of crown company Network for Learning (N4L) whose terms expire in 2015. “Having completed their first term, the inaugural board members have all been reappointed, with terms set so that succession can be phased,” says Ms Kaye. “Chair Helen Robinson, Rick Shera and Linda Tame have been reappointed for a further three years; Deputy Chair Mark Yeoman and Humphrey Wikeepa for two years; and Martin Wylie for one year. ...

Current system "inaccurate" - Hekia Parata
Everyone wants to live in a neighbourhood with good schools. The publication of decile rankings is often seen as an opportunity to find out where the good schools are. But does the decile system really have anything to do with quality? Decile...

Charter school has budget surplus eight times the average state school
Stuff.co.nz
Parata said charter schools were funded on a cashed up model and in the case of Terenga Paroa the trust is "leasing premises while it secures land, if it's able to do so". Labour education spokesman Chris Hipkins has criticised the minister for letting ...

Hekia misleads the House on charter school funding
Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, misled the House yesterday in response to questions about the large surplus accumulating in one of her charter schools.

National testing for Year 9 and 10 students ahead
Stuff.co.nz
In a letter to the Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA) Tolley wrote that she was surprised that then president of the teachers' union, Kate Gainsford, had been hearing from officials that an extension of national standards was on the cards ...

Survey finds constant assessments causing student stress 

Kiwi high school students are experiencing increasing levels of stress within the school environment, according to a survey by tutoring company Inspiration Education.

National Standards no model for Social Services delivery
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
It was astonishing to see Social Development Minister Anne Tolley recently suggest on the Q+A programme that National Standards provided a model for public service targets for the delivery of social services. Actually it's the limitations of the ...

Editorial: School ensured girl's swipe was given oxygen
A 15-year-old girl's sweeping criticism of her teachers would not normally be the stuff of nationwide debate. But it has been achieved by Anela Pritchard thanks largely to the reaction of her school, Napier Girls' High. In over-reacting...

New leader for Māori Language Commission
Radio New Zealand
The Māori Development Minister, Te Ururoa Flavell, said Dr Ngata will build on Mr Henare's legacy and bring his extensive knowledge of te reo Māori and the education sector to the role. Two new commissioners have also been appointed for three years; ...

Teachers win right to ban junk food
In a move that has fired up parents, teachers in the UK have won the right to inspect pupils' lunchboxes and confiscate unhealthy snacks. "Schools have common law powers to search pupils, with their consent, for items," Schools...

Ngā Kākano o te Kaihanga Kura to be shut down today
Māori Television
The Māori Christian charter school in Waitākere which has been in operation for around 19 years will shut down today after Ngā Kākano o Te Kaihanga's application for funding was declined by the Ministry of Education. Despite the funding cut the school

Investment in tertiary education well monitored
Scoop.co.nz
The review, commissioned by the Chief Executives of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and carried out by Deloitte, included the quality assurance, delivery and financial monitoring activities ...

Nayland students split over uniform plan
Stuff.co.nz
The reasons for the change included the financial costs of outfitting students in mufti and the advantages of having Nayland College students visibly represented in uniform in the community. Principal Daniel Wilson said that the new senior uniform ...

Students staying engaged at Hutt Valley schools
Scoop.co.nz (press release)
National List MP based in the Hutt Valley Chris Bishop says there has been a significant drop in the number of school students being suspended, stood-down, excluded, and expelled from schools in the Hutt Valley. “Under the National-led government, Hutt ...

Students connect with employers and discover career pathways 

Employers, teachers and students are saying Careers New Zealand’s “Industry Big Day Out” programme which helps them link together better is helping young New Zealanders make informed choices about their careers. Phil Matthews, Director of Universal Engineering, ...

High School students being taught how to be positive cybercitizens 

The phrase "go kill yourself" is a common one on social media sites used by South Canterbury teens.

Parents get virtual first glimpse of new Hamilton school
Rototuna Junior High will have to be big if the attendance at the school's first information evening is anything to go by.