Education Minister Trevor Mallard should stop dithering and set up the proposed new body to monitor teacher performance now, ACT Education spokeswoman Donna Awatere Huata said today.

The Minister has released a document on the proposed new Education Council seeking the views of parents, teachers, and other interested parties.

Mrs Huata says the move comes at a time when the Teacher Registration Board has been asked to strike off 34 bad, incompetent or deviant teachers around the country. “That is more than double the number last year,” she said.

Mrs Huata said the cases highlighted that the teaching profession was handicapped by the fact that matters of competence and discipline were not dealt with by a well-defined professional body.

“That body could be the proposed Education Council which the Minister has been constantly touting," Mrs Huata said.

“He should stop dithering and get on with it for the sake of our children.

“There is nothing to stop him from implementing the scheme in this Parliamentary session. He has already had 10 months to do something.”

Mrs Huata said she believed the 34 cases before the registration board was the “tip of the iceberg.”

She said she knew of one school where a senior staff member had been identified by the Education Review Office as being responsible for abusing children.

“In spite of continued complaints from parents, this person remains on the job.

“This sends a message that the concerns for a teacher’s career should over-ride the well-being and protection of our children.

“That is disgraceful,” Mrs Huata said.

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For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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