Principals Underwhelmed by Novopay Review Findings

Media Release           19 June 2013
Attention: EDUCATION AND POLITICAL REPORTERS

Principals Underwhelmed by Novopay Ministerial Review findings 

The New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF) President Philip Harding says the findings of the Ministerial Review into Novopay bring no surprises for school principals.

'I think the reviewers have done a very thorough job of investigating the flaws in the Novopay system,' said Harding. 'The report gives a frank account of the myriad failures and shows that at every level Novopay has been a disaster,’ he said.

The report outlines the technical flaws in the production of the software, relationship difficulties between Ministry staff and Talent2,  communication flaws between all parties and most importantly the failure to adequately consult with or prepare those intended to use the payroll system - the payroll officers in the schools.

'The system has now been laid bare and everyone can see just what a shambles it is,' said Harding.

'Of course we can't just toss it out now because there is no alternative but I do expect that until the enormous backlog of errors is addressed over the next months that schools will receive on-going financial support to relieve over worked staff. I then expect to hear that the Minister is working on developing a new system, this time from the bottom up,' said Harding.

Errors continue to be found in each new pay period with teachers under paid, overpaid and not paid at all. The backlog of tens of thousands of unresolved errors remains. Nothing in the Ministerial review report gives the profession a smidgen of confidence in the Novopay system.

ENDS

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