Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Teachers to lose their voice under new legislation
13 March 2014
Immediate Release
Teachers will
fight loss of voice on Government’s new Teachers
Council
Government legislation which will remove the right of teachers to directly elect their own professional body and devalues the teaching profession will be opposed by teachers, says NZEI Te Riu Roa.
The Education Amendment Bill to establish the new Education Council of New Zealand (EDUCANZ) had its first reading in Parliament today.
NZEI Te Riu Roa President Judith Nowotarski says a strong and independent teaching council is needed to uphold the teaching profession, protect the public interest and ensure quality teaching and learning for all children.
“Extensive consultation last year showed the
sector clearly wanted an independent body whose members were
directly elected out of the profession by the profession,
along with appointments made in the public interest.”
She says consultation and public polling also shows an
overwhelming number of teachers and the public want all
children to have a qualified and registered teacher. The
new legislation extends the status of people with limited
authority to teach and exempts unqualified people acting as
teachers in charter schools.
“The Minister claims to
be providing independence, valuing teaching and fully
entrusting the profession and yet she undermines the
teaching profession and puts children at risk by lowering
standards for charter schools, and retains the right to
directly appoint every member. This position is totally
contradictory.
“This was a missed opportunity to create a truly independent professional body with the full confidence of the sector,” she said.
“NZEI welcomes the move to make the council an independent statutory body, but how can it be independent when all of its governance is directly appointed by a politician? There will be a lack of ‘ownership’ by members.”
“There is not even mention of a requirement for the majority of members to be teachers, which doesn’t make sense in an organisation required to promote and monitor the standards of the profession,” said Judith Nowotarski.
The new Education Council will replace the Teachers Council as the regulatory and professional body of teachers.
ENDS
NZEI Te Riu Roa
New Zealand Educational Institute
NZEI Te Riu Roa members work in every community in New Zealand, leading and advocating for quality public education.
We are the 50,000 principals, teachers and support staff who work in primary, area and secondary schools as well as early childhood centres, special education and school advisory services. We come together as NZEI Te Riu Roa - New Zealand's largest education union, a Treaty based organisation and a powerful advocate for quality public education.
We have the most important job in New Zealand - educating for the future.
Braden Currie: Sets Sights On The Ironman North American Championships In Texas
Whanganui Regional Museum: Historic Wedding Dress Unveiled, A Piece Of Marton’s Heritage
Donovan Ryan: Local Runner Takes Out Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon
University of Auckland: Tributes Flow For Much Loved Pacific Leader Melegalenu’u Ah Sam
NZEI: Ministry Of Education Cuts Will Disproportionately Affect Pasifika
Day One Hapai te Haeata: Call To Action For Young Filmmakers Against The Backdrop Of Funding Cuts