MINISTER'S INTRODUCTION
Greetings and welcome to the first issue of Wise Up for 2002.
This week I signed the agreement that gives New Zealand schools access to
up to date Microsoft software.
You'll remember this is a deal that we finalised last year and Edcom will
be contacting schools to begin the installation process from next week.
The $10 million agreement covers software licences for around 70,000 school
PCs for two years. At the end of that time the agreement will be reviewed.
Since this deal was announced last year, I've had lots of feedback from
schools about how this will benefit both their administrative systems as
well as teaching and learning in classrooms.
I was particularly pleased that we were able to negotiate a deal which
includes teachers' personal computers. I strongly believe that children's
learning through ICT can only reach its potential if teachers are
comfortable with the technology. I hope that teachers are making good use
of this opportunity and I would be interested in any feedback on this.
Elsewhere in the ICT area, representatives from the 159 schools that are
taking part in the ICT professional development clusters will be meeting in
Wellington this week. And of course, later in the year we will be
releasing the updated ICT strategy. You might recall that a draft strategy
was released last year and feedback from that report is being incorporated
into the new strategy.
2002 is going to be an exciting and progressive year for education. The implementation of NCEA is a challenge to secondary schools but I am confident that it will result in widespread positive changes to the relevance of secondary school qualifications for the students themselves as well as tertiary institutions and employers.
Nationwide training for new first-time principals is beginning with visits in the first term and the first induction course in April. National assessment literacy tests will be available for primary schools later on in
the year.
From next month early childhood education centres will begin to receive equity funding. By the end of the year, about a thousand centres that serve our poorest communities will receive additional funding to help them overcome some of the learning barriers their children face. The Government will also be responding to the ECE strategic plan this year. I look forward to hearing your views on issues raised in this forum.
Trevor Mallard Minister of Education
TEACHERS' COUNCIL MEMBERS
Members have been chosen for the New Zealand Teachers' Council, which will
be launched this month by Education Minister Trevor Mallard.
The council will be chaired by Kathie Irwin. Other members are: Pembroke
Bird, Lili Tuioti, Janet Kelly, Graeme Macann, Elizabeth Patara and Barbara
Arnott.
After the council is established, elections will be held for one principal
and three teacher representatives. In the interim, those positions will be
filled by Nola Hambleton, Peter Allen, Marama Taiwhati and Karen Skett.
The council was established through the Education Standards Act passed by
Parliament in October last year. It takes over the role of the Teacher
Registration Board but has broader responsibilities and wider powers.
The council's website is at www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz
SPECIAL EDUCATION ONLINE RESOURCE
Associate Education Minister Lianne Dalziel has launched a new online
resource for special education groups and families of children with special
education needs.
The resource offers reviews, and links to useful websites and information
about events. It will also be home to a number of online communities such
as parents of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder; Resource Teachers
Learning and Behaviour; and those creating collage materials for children
and young people who are blind and vision impaired.
www.tki.org.nz/r/specialed
SECONDARY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME
New Zealand will have a national secondary school scholarship examination
from 2004. It will be the first separate state-run secondary national
scholarship for 12 years.
There will be a single standard established for each subject, known as a
scholarship standard. It will lead to a premiere secondary qualification
called the New Zealand Scholarship, which will be registered at level four,
one level higher than bursary, on the NZ Register which registers all
quality assured qualifications in New Zealand.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard said there will be awards for top all
round scholars, with recognition of superb performance across five
subjects.
"What this means is that we will now have a challenging external assessment
process for our top academic students," Trevor Mallard said.
WORKING PARTY FOR DEGREE RELATED SALARIES
A working party has been established to recommend appropriate minimum and
maximum salaries for teachers with three year pre service teaching degrees
and for those who have a degree as well as a teaching diploma.
The setting up of the working party fulfilled an agreement made during the
negotiations for the teachers' collective employment agreements. The
working party will include representatives from the teacher unions, the
NZEI and the PPTA, and from the employers.
"Teacher education providers have been advised of the Government's wish to
differentiate between commencing salaries for teachers with different
qualifications," Trevor Mallard said.
The working party will report back by the end of June. Any change to
salaries will affect teachers who begin teaching from 2005.
PASTORAL CARE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Education Minister Trevor Mallard has approved a code of practice for the
pastoral care of international students.
The code, a requirement introduced through the recently passed Education
Standards Act, covers both state and private providers.
Trevor Mallard said the protection is not before time, with new figures
showing a dramatic increase in international fee paying students taking
part in formal study in New Zealand.
Between 2000 and 2001, the number of international students in New Zealand
schools and tertiary institutions rose by 55 percent to 26,494. Their
contribution to GDP is estimated to be more than $700 million.
"The Government wants to enhance international confidence in our country as
a safe study destination for foreign students to ensure that they keep
coming here."
From next year, all schools and tertiary institutions enrolling
international students on student permits will be required to sign up to a
legal code of practice for their pastoral care. The code takes effect from
March 31, with a six-month transitional period for educational providers to
sign up.
A copy of the new Code of Practice can be accessed on the Ministry of Education's website at www.minedu.govt.nz/index_page.cfm?id=6666&p=1003.1010.6663
CONTACTS AND SUBSCRIPTION
Hon Trevor Mallard, Minister of Education
Fax: 04 495 8448 e-mail: tmallard@ministers.govt.nz
Hon Steve Maharey, Associate Minister of Education (tertiary)
Fax: 04 495 8443 e-mail: smaharey@ministers.govt.nz
Hon Lianne Dalziel, Associate Minister of Education
Fax: 04 495 8463 e-mail: ldalziel@ministers.govt.nz
Hon Parekura Horomia, Associate Minister of Education (Maori education)
Fax: 04 495 8457 e-mail: phoromia@ministers.govt.nz
Hon Marian Hobbs, Associate Minister of Education
Fax: 04 495 8467 e-mail: mhobbs@ministers.govt.nz
Or check out the file of press statements and speeches from all ministers at www.executive.govt.nz
