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Tomorrow's Schools recommendations welcomed
7 December 2018
Our nation’s children are finally being put at the heart of the education system.
The Tomorrow’s Schools Independent Taskforce reported back today and is proposing significant changes to the way our education system is run and it includes a focus being put back on children.
The recommendations from the report have been welcomed by NZEI Te Riu Roa.
“This is putting children’s wellbeing back at the heart of education – which is what we have been saying for a very long time. It redefines what success looks like for kids and has a big focus on equity,” says NZEI Te Riu Roa President Lynda Stuart.
“This is a big, bold and brave move from the taskforce and we welcome it. We are excited by the opportunities that it presents.”
Ms Stuart says she was particularly pleased that the role of school support staff had been recognised.
“The report says that their status and roles (and the skills that they bring) have been a lost opportunity for schools and this report recommends that there be a career pathway for them.
“We obviously need to look at the finer details of the whole report, and we have lots of questions, but it is a great start.”
Some of the key recommendations include:
That school boards be
reoriented so that their core responsibilities are the
strategic and annual plans, student success and wellbeing,
curriculum and assessment.
Education hubs would be
established and will assume all the legal responsibilities
and liabilities held by school boards with delegation back
to principals and tumuaki
Need for a national school
network strategy including a dedicated pathway for Kaupapa
Maori and to support Maori language provision
Enrolment
schemes must be fair and equitable
Learning support
would be provided through education hubs
Teaching
Council will work with ITE providers to ensure better
preparation of teachers regarding learning needs and
inclusion
Viable pathways for the development, and
enhanced status, of paraprofessionals (support
staff)
Recruit a diversity of teachers and guarantee
employment for new teachers
Equity resourcing to increase
to 6% of total
resourcing
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.
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