Chris
HIPKINS

Education Spokesperson
7 August 2014 MEDIA STATEMENT

Teachers line up for last chance at democracy

Plans by National to scrap the democratically-elected Teachers Council have prompted 37 nominations for just four places, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“This is the last chance teachers have to elect their own council before the Government replaces it with the newly formed Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (EDUCANZ).

“Education Minister Hekia Parata has cited low voter turnout as a justification for doing away with elections altogether. That's clearly caught people’s attention and the high interest in this year's council election shows just how much teachers value their voice.

“For a professional body to be effective it must have the confidence and support of those that it seeks to govern. EDUCANZ won't have that support because teachers feel so disempowered as a result of its creation.

“Submissions to the select committee considering this change overwhelmingly opposed the removal of democracy from the teaching profession. In fact, the Government’s wider education reforms were completely opposed by 91 per cent, or 855 of 937 submitters.

“Labour believes teachers should have their own voice.

“A Labour Government will guarantee their right to elect their own representatives to their professional body,” Chris Hipkins says.

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