Principals Support NZEI's Call For Learning Support Boost

The New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF) supports the New Zealand Education Institute's (NZEI) call for a $2.5billion investment in learning support services by 2030.

"For years, Learning Support has been the neglected link in all conversations about learning progress and achievement," said NZPF President, Leanne Otene.

"The current Minister and former Ministers of Education have all agreed that learning support is a weakness in our system, but none has had the courage to fix the problems, said Otene.

"Instead they look to lift achievement through national standards, assessment, testing and now the science of learning with yet another new assessment tool," she said.

"None of these options will make a jot of difference to improve the learning progress of a single child in need of learning support because they don't come with early intervention teachers, education support workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, special education advisors or speech and language therapists," she said.

"We have been clear with the Minister from the very beginning, saying that the major problem in our education system is not the teachers or their ability to teach. It is not the curriculum or what we teach. It is the lack of behavioural and learning support services that hinder our teachers' ability to teach and our principals to lead," she said.

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