Teachers need a say in funding of the Education Council

Thursday, 17 November 2016, 12:13 pm
Press Release: NZEI

Teachers need a say in funding of the Education Council

17 November 2016

The Government's decision to increase funding to the Education Council while imposing new accountability mechanisms underscores the need for teachers to have a democratic say on the future of their own professional body, NZEI Te Riu Roa says.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter says the $21 million funding boost announced by Education Minister Hekia Parata was part of a string of significant strategic decisions the Government has made about the future of the Council.

"The Government abolished the right of teachers to elect their own representatives to the Council in 2015. Now teachers are being told that in 2018-19 they will be asked to foot a significant bill for an organisation that they do not have an elected voice on."

"It's time to restore representative democracy so that the Education Council can genuinely act as an independent professional body, driven by the real needs of teachers."

ENDS

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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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