NZEI: New Secretary for Education

19th July 2011
For Immediate Release

NZEI hopes to build constructive relationship with new Secretary for Education

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa hopes the new Secretary for Education will bring with her a solid understanding of New Zealand’s unique and vibrant education system.

It has been announced that Lesley Longstone will replace Karen Sewell as Secretary for Education and will take up the role in November. Ms Longstone is currently the Director General for Infrastructure and Funding in the English Department of Education. According to the State Services Commission, she has 25 years experience in the education and employment sectors in the UK, Europe and Australia.

NZEI says it looks forward to building a constructive working relationship with Ms Longstone and hopes she will also look to establish a solid partnership with the sector.

New Zealand’s educational environment is quite different than other countries with self -managing schools and world-renowned curricula starting at early childhood.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter says New Zealand is one of the top-performing countries educationally in the OECD, but proper investment and sound educational policies are needed to meet every child’s needs and provide quality education at all levels.

“We are all committed to raising the achievement of our students and want to do that in ways that will actually make a difference to teaching and learning. We are ambitious for our system and need to build off its successes to make it even better. We look forward to working with the new Secretary for Education on driving that vision.”

ENDS