Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education

20 October 2016

Education Legislation Bill passes Third Reading

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the passing of a bill which will provide increased flexibility for parents, students, school boards and early childhood education providers.

The Education Legislation Bill passed its Third and final reading in Parliament today.

“This Bill is a significant milestone for our education system. It amends several Acts, including the Education Act 1989, and provides further flexibility for school communities,” says Ms Parata.

“It gives schools the flexibility they’ve been seeking to cater their timetables to the particular needs of their students. Schools will be able to vary their opening hours with the agreement of their community, as long as it does not result in students being in school less than students in comparable schools.

“The Bill enables home-based ECE providers to offer out of school care to children aged 13 and under. This provides flexibility for families with pre-school and school-age children so their children can be cared for together.

“It also gives school boards the options to agree to a principal managing more than one school and to appoint students of approved initial teacher education programmes to paid trainee teacher positions.”

In addition, the Bill ensures that the Ngarimu VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Act 1945 continues recognise the service of Second Lieutenant Te Moananui a Kiwa Ngārimu and the 28th (Māori) Battalion in World War II in ways that are relevant for the 21st century.

“This Bill will improve and modernise administrative and governance arrangements across the education sector, and ensure that it responds to what our children and young people need,” says Ms Parata.

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