Education Amendment Bill - Third Reading Speech John Banks
act-new-zealand
Wed Jun 05 2013 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Education Amendment Bill - Third Reading Speech John Banks
Wednesday, 5 June 2013, 8:54 am
Speech: ACT New Zealand
Education Amendment Bill - Third Reading
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Speech by ACT Leader John Banks**
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Tuesday, June 4 2013**
Almost 25 years ago, Parliament passed the Education Act 1989 which put the Picot report into effect giving us Tomorrow’s Schools.
Parliament wanted to empower educators and school communities. It wanted to de-centralise and liberate the compulsory education sector.
The then Labour Government said the reforms would address the inequality of achievement.
But the unions cried foul.
The unions said that only education experts, not parents, would be able to govern schools – sound familiar?
In fact, the unions said Tomorrow’s Schools was the first step towards privatisation.
That Tomorrow’s Schools was right-wing ideology.
The same arguments that are ringing in our ears today.
The truth is the union opposition to Partnership Schools has been straight out of their old playbook. The same lines they trot out on any attempted reform of the education sector.
It’s tired. It’s cynical. It’s unconvincing. Educators deserve better.
The unions now say our education system is world class and ‘how dare anyone change it’.
Yes it is world class for most learners - but not all.
We have a long tail of underachievement in New Zealand.
And that failure is institutionalised and inter-generational.
It compounds the deep trauma in these families.
It is shocking that any system could take a child though their formative years and, after 13 years in the system, turn out a student who is functionally illiterate - in no way prepared for the modern world.
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Partnership Schools can make a real difference to New Zealand’s most disadvantaged students.
We want to give five out of five students the opportunity to get a world class education.
This policy is not an attack on our teachers who by and large do a fantastic job. I acknowledge their contribution.
I also acknowledge the contribution of the 35,000 support staff in our schools, who are so frequently belittled by the Opposition.
No one is saying there is a quick fix. Nor is anyone saying there are not a number of ways to address this institutionalised failure.
Partnership Schools are but one option.
They are a natural progression of the philosophy of Tomorrow’s Schools in that they empower educators and school communities, and up the level of accountability.
Partnership Schools will engage with parents and provide them with meaningful input into their child’s education.
It is one of the most important things that will be measured under the contract.
Educators in Partnership Schools will have the freedom to engage teachers who don’t hold registration with the Teachers Council.
The decision will be based on the needs of the students, as it should be - not a one rule for every school approach.
Partnership Schools will have better Alternative Dispute Resolution systems available to them than in most schools.
Both the Ombudsmen and the Human Rights Commission have been invited to work with the Ministry of Education on this.
Thankfully Parliament was not swayed by the Opposition’s attempts to limit the type of organisation that can be a Partnership School
Achieving educational improvements and being accountable always mattered more than whether a Partnership School is a run by a trust, charity, business or iwi organisation.
I have good news for the House.
The 35 quality applications received demonstrate that there is significant interest from numerous diverse communities and organisations in establishing Partnership Schools.
Successful applicants will be invited to an interview so the Authorisation Board can explore their vision for the new school in more detail.
Following the conclusion of the interviews, the Board will provide advice to the Minister of Education about which applications to approve.
Partnership Schools will be established in areas that experience significant underachievement, where students are underserved by the current system.
The first school will be opened day one, term one, 2014.
ACT is proud to be associated with Partnership Schools. These schools will stand or fall on their results – as it should be.
I want to thank everyone who has helped support the passage of this bill, and who believe, like ACT, that every child deserves a world class education.
Partnership Schools will help make the promise of a world class education a reality for more of our children, so they can take their place as productive citizens.
ENDS
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