Teacher-only day to implement new curriculum

Education Minister Chris Carter announced today teachers would be given a professional development day in the next year to help plan for the new curriculum.

“The new curriculum is a major milestone for our education system and while teachers, principals and board trustees have been very supportive of it, they need time away from the classroom to discuss its implementation,” Chris Carter said.

“We need to make sure teachers have practical support and professional development opportunities to work with this new curriculum in the best interests of their students and communities.”

The new curriculum was produced after one of the most extensive consultation exercises ever undertaken by the Ministry of Education and it was appropriate the government recognised that implementing it would require time and resources.

“Along with a teacher-only day for this year, there will be practical support including workshops, sector leaders working throughout the country and extensive information available online,” Chris Carter said.

The new curriculum will become mandatory for all state and state-integrated schools by 2010.

The Minister said it would be up to individual schools to organise a teacher-only day at some point within the next year.

ENDS

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