Re. Proposed Changes To The Functions Of The Teaching Council Of Aotearoa NZ

University Deans of Education are deeply concerned by the Government’s plan to restructure the governance of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) through proposed changes to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, announced yesterday. These changes, made without meaningful consultation or credible evidence, risk undermining the quality of teacher preparation and the integrity of the teaching profession.

The plan to remove the elected representative of teacher educators from the Teaching Council, shift key professional functions to the Ministry of Education, and strip the Council of its role in enhancing the status and development of the profession, signals a politically and ideologically motivated move that bypasses due process and expert input.

Minister Standford’s claim that initial teacher education programmes are ‘letting teachers and students down’ is based on survey data collected from teachers who studied during COVID and when there was a transitional curriculum. The Minister’s claim that ITE as failing is misleading and unfair, especially at a time when we need to be supporting and valuing our teachers and encouraging excellent candidates to consider entering teaching. The proposed changes are not grounded in robust evidence and ignore the complex realities of teacher education and teaching.

The removal of professional capacity-building from the Council’s remit and the centralisation of standard-setting within the Ministry risks politicising what should be independent, evidence-informed processes. Shifting the Teaching Council’s regulatory functions to the Ministry of Education would be at odds with arrangements for all other independent statutory professional bodies, including Law, Medicine, Accountancy, Dentistry, Engineering and Psychology.

The extent and speed of change is not warranted or appropriate – it is dangerous. The NZ Council of Deans of Education warns these reforms will not improve teacher quality, but instead further destabilise a system already under enormous pressure from curriculum changes, compliance demands, and workforce shortages. The removal of sector representation and the narrowing of governance structures will further alienate educators and diminish trust in the system.

Teachers are critical to the wellbeing of our society and our future. They are highly trained professionals who are too-often used as political footballs. Undermining their professional autonomy and silencing their voices will only cause more harm than good. Teachers represent a cross-representation of communities and values in Aotearoa, but their shared professional commitment is to the wellbeing and success of children and young people. The proposed changes represent a backwards step for education.

The NZ Council of Education Deans calls for a halt to the proposed legislative changes and acceptance of the consultation process undertaken in 2024, which rejected moving key functions of the Teaching Council to the Ministry of Education. The future of education in Aotearoa deserves better than rushed reforms and political manoeuvring.

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