MINISTER'S INTRODUCTION
This week marks an important milestone in our work on principal leadership
and development. We're starting the distribution of the first of the
laptops, which will eventually be distributed to all school principals.
The first six hundred laptops will be with principals by the end of this
month. They'll be distributed to all first time new principals and
principals in the most remote schools. Within three years, at the outside,
all school principals will be given laptops.
A laptop itself won't change a principal's life, but it is a valuable tool
to help do the job more effectively. It will support principals in their
school management, and with activities associated with the leadership
programme being introduced this year.
The next milestone in the programme is the launch of the leadspace portal
next month and the online network for principals.
Leadspace will provide useful information and services for all school
administrators.
The principals' network will only be open to principals and a few invited
guests and facilitators. It is to be a place where principals can take
part in online discussions with their colleagues and other experts on
issues and ideas to help them do their jobs better. I hope it will ease
some of the professional isolation I know many principals feel. It is
vital that this is not 'just another website' and that is one reason why
we're employing trained facilitators to monitor and administer the site.
I'll be taking part in some on line discussions with principals so you can
ask me all those hard questions.
The other big event pending in this programme is the first induction course
for new first time principals that will be held next month in Auckland.
Many principals have described to me the struggle of their first few years
in the job. They often say that if they knew then what they knew now, the
job would have been a lot easier. Induction courses are not going to solve
all the problems, but I believe they can help ease a lot of the pressure.
I'm looking forward to meeting the principals on the course. This type of
professional development attention is something I've long advocated and I'm
pleased it has come to fruition.
Trevor Mallard Minister of Education
Read the Minister's speech to NZPF at
www.executive.govt.nz/minister/mallard/education/index.html
EQUITY FUNDING FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
More than a thousand early childhood services will start to receive extra
funding from the end of this week as the government starts to introduce
equity funding for the early childhood education sector.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard said the first payments are going out to
centres this week. The equity funding system will deliver an extra $8
million a year to eligible community-based services.
Trevor Mallard said equity funding was a further step in the government's
commitment to achieve across-the-board improvements to the education of
young children.
More information at:
/Speech.aspx?type=speech&rid=37509
NEW TEACHERS' COUNCIL
The New Zealand Teachers' Council was launched at a ceremony at
Wellington's Ngati Poneke Marae. It will play a major role in ensuring a
high standard of education in New Zealand schools and early childhood
centres.
The council was established through the passing of the Education Standards
Act by Parliament late last year and replaces the Teacher Registration
Board.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard said that while the council would
incorporate the board's registration and disciplinary function, it had a
much wider role.
For more information go to: www.teacherscouncil.org.nz
Read the Education Standards Act at:
http://rangi.knowledge-basket.co.nz/gpacts/public/text/2001/an/088.html
SECONDARY TEACHER VANCANCY SURVERY RESULTS
There were 237 secondary teacher vacancies on the first day of the school year or an average of less than one vacancy per school.
The results of the annual Teacher Survey provides a comprehensive picture of staff vacancies at the start of the school year.
Thanks to all the schools that took part. The Ministry had a 99.2 per cent response rate. Primary School results will be available later this month.
For more information:
/Speech.aspx?type=speech&rid=37456
NATIONAL PARTY ENROLMENT POLICIES
The National Party says it will repeal school enrolment legislation.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard says the policy will create ghetto schools while generously allowing a few lucky students to escape. He says it also means that no New Zealand parent can be guaranteed that there child will be able to go to the local school.
For more information:
/Speech.aspx?type=speech&rid=37533
SCHOOL OPENINGS
Education Minister Trevor Mallard recently opened two new schools and opened one school's new building extensions.
The new Catholic School Garin College in Nelson, is the first new state or integrated secondary school to be built in more than 20 years. The new Discovery One, special character primary school, was officially opened on February 21 in Christchurch.
Otumoetai College in Tauranga has had an $11 million facelift to boost capacity in line with the Tauranga growth strategy.
Check out the schools' websites
www.discovery1.school.nz, www.otumoetaicollege.co.nz
This week Trevor Mallard will be visiting Edmonton Primary in Te Atatu, Papatoetoe Intermediate School, Manaia View, Tikipunga Primary and Kamo Intermediate in Whangarei. He'll also be speaking at the TUANZ education conference in Auckland.
STUDENTS QUESTION VISITING CLIMATE EXPERT
Students who are part of the Kaupapa Ara Whakawhiti Matauranga or KAWM
project, were recently given the opportunity to quiz a visiting climate
change using the latest technology. The interactive online video session
was with guest of government, Dr Robert Watson, the Chairperson of the
Intergovernmental Panel on climate change and senior spokesperson for the
World Bank on global warming.
More information about the Climate Change video-conference can be found on
the TKI site: www.tki.org.nz/r/school_improvement/climate/index_e.php.
ESSAY COMPETITION
Students from secondary schools throughout New Zealand can enter a national
essay writing competition on the history of the Chinese in New Zealand.
The three successful authors will be presented with books by the Prime
Minister Helen Clark at a reception to be arranged with the Chinese
community later in the year.
Entries close on Wednesday June 26, 2002. Address for entries and for more
information contact: Office of the Prime Minister (for attention Alec
McLean), Parliament Buildings, Wellington.
INNOVATIVE NEW WEBSITE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities now have access to an innovative website at the University of Auckland.
The redeveloped site contains many features to help both disabled students at the University and the University staff teaching them. It not only outlines the services offered by the University's Disabilities Office but includes much practical information including maps showing routes around the University, a text-only version suitable for vision impaired users to convert to voice output and a continually updated notice-board with news and events of special interest to these students.
The web address is: www.disability.auckland.ac.nz
SPECIALIST EDUCATION MERGES WITH MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
A new Ministry of Education opened its doors on 28 February with the
integration of Specialist Education Services (SES) and the current Ministry
of Education.
This incorporation means that the two arms of policy and operational
services will become integrated. SES will become known as Group Special
Education.
This integration is one part of several positive changes for the education
sector.
MODERN APPRENTICES
The number of young people taking up Modern Apprenticeships opportunities
continues to increase ? and has now topped 2,000.
Associate Education Minister Steve Maharey has released figures showing
that there were 2,049 Modern Apprentices in training at 31 December 2001, a
25% increase in three months.
More information: /Speech.aspx?type=speech&rid=37305
SCHOOL TO WORK PARTNERSHIPS
Associate Education Minister Steve Maharey is backing a new publication
calling for better school to work partnerships.
Steve Maharey has launched Business and Schools in Manukau this afternoon,
published by the City of Manukau Education Trust. The publication reports
a study commissioned from the University of Auckland showing very few of
the 121 schools in the city have links with the business community and the
world of work.
More information: /Speech.aspx?type=speech&rid=37513
ONLINE DICTIONARY OF NEW ZEALAND BIOGRAPHY
The Prime Minister, and Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage, Helen Clark
has launched the online Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, saying it
increases the availability of a major historical resource to many New
Zealanders.
The new website makes all the biographies in the five volume series of the
Dictionary of New Zealand Biography and its Maori language companion series
online.
The web address is: www.dnzb.govt.nz
ASSESSMENT RESULTS GREAT FOR STUDENTS LEARNING IN TE REO
Parents of children in total immersion Maori language schools can take
heart from the latest assessment results for Maori primary school students.
The results, released by the Ministry of Education, are based on the second
series of assessments conducted by the National Education Monitoring
Project on the achievement of Maori students. The assessments, conducted in
2000, measured pupils' achievement levels in reading, speaking, music, and
aspects of technology.
Minister of Maori Affairs, Parekura Horomia said that the latest
assessments show that in the majority of cases Maori immersion students did
as well as or better than the Maori students learning in English.
More information: /Speech.aspx?type=speech&rid=37464
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
