MINISTER'S INTRODUCTION - NEW LEGISLATION
It's a year this month since I became Minister of Education - a year of great challenges for me.
Some of the issues that I have been working on throughout the year will be included in a new education amendment bill that will be introduced to Parliament within the next two weeks.
It includes the establishment of the Education Council that was the subject of a round of consultation earlier this year and which many schools made a submission on. It also includes the new reporting requirements that I floated publicly in speeches during September and October. Improvements to the governance arrangements in the tertiary sector have been foreshadowed by Steve Maharey.
More details will be provided in the last Wise Up for the year as soon as the bill is introduced to Parliament.
I am especially keen to have the bill in the public arena before Christmas to ensure a longer period for submissions. I'm conscious that the beginning of the year is extremely busy for the education sector and I wan. organisations and individuals who want to made a submission to have ample time to read and consider the bill. Although I hasten to add that I do not see the bill as great beach reading material.
Finally, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who I have met this year and who have shared their views and concerns with me and all the schools I have visited. In Opposition, I benefited greatly from such meetings and visits and it is something that I continue to place a high importance on.
Trevor Mallard
Minister of Education
NEW SCHOOL GYMNASIA
In 1997, Helen Clark lead other women MPs to write to then Education
Minister Wyatt Creech to support Wellington East Girls' College's bid for a
new school gymnasium.
Last month, the Prime Minister visited the school to announce that they
were one of nine secondary schools around the country to receive catch-up
funding from a $5 million pool to improve their gymnasium facilities.
Other schools to benefit were: Otago Girls' High School, Papakura High
School, Massey High School, Long Bay College, Gisborne Girls' High School,
Horowhenua College, Queens High School, and Glendowie College.
The funding is intended to provide help for schools that had serious
deficiencies in the size of their gymnasium space. Other schools already
have the ability to address their gym deficiencies through the roll growth
programme. A further $2.5 million will be spent on gyms at other secondary
schools in the following three years.
SECONDARY SCHOOLS' PROPERTY GUIDE
The Government wants to update how the property needs for secondary schools
are determined and has released a proposed new property guide for the
sector to comment on.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard said the current property code was
developed some 30 years ago and is clearly inadequate in some areas ?
especially given the huge advances in areas like information communication
technology. The new proposals allow extra space in classrooms for
computers.
"Teacher work spaces, now seen as essential in practical terms, are not
even considered in the current property guide. We also want to allow
teaching spaces to cater for smaller groups or individual learning, and the
increased amount of internal assessment that is part of a modern secondary
school."
The proposed property guide is available on the Ministry's website at:
www.minedu.govt.nz/web/document/document_page.cfm?id=5331
EARLY CHILDHOOD QUALIFICATIONS
Cabinet has approved plans for higher qualification requirements for people
responsible for the education and care of children in early childhood
education services. The changes will require persons responsible in
centre-based services as well as coordinators in home-based care networks
to hold at least a Diploma of Teaching for Early Childhood Education.
The new qualification requirements for people currently holding the
positions will come into affect from 1 January 2005. From 1 January 2002
those who are new to such positions will be required to hold at least a
Diploma of Teaching (ECE).
"Research tells us that improving qualifications in early childhood
education will help considerably in our efforts to provide quality learning
outcomes for our young children," Education Minister Trevor Mallard said.
BOOST FOR ADULT LITERACY
The Government is putting an additional $2 million into adult literacy for
the calendar year 2001.
Associate Education Minister Lianne Dalziel made the announcement at the
close of the two-day National Literacy Hui in Wellington last week. She
spoke of the importance to establish and sustain a sense of direction and
purpose in the literacy area. There was also a need to effectively
resource and co-ordinate all the components of the system that are to
deliver the results needed.
"Most of the money ($1.5 million) will be focussed on workplace literacy
programmes and the need to increase professional development training in
the field and the development of quality assurance around the delivery of
adult literacy programmes," she said.
LIBRARY LITERACY PROGRAMME
Students in Manukau schools will benefit from a $1.1 million library
literacy programme run by the National Library of New Zealand, the Minister
Responsible for the National Library, Marian Hobbs has announced.
The money will fund four years of a pilot project for schools in Mangere
and Otara.
"The schools will have ready access to the National Library's expertise and
resources to strengthen and enhance their students' literacy and
information skills," Marian Hobbs said.
NEW STUDENT JOB SEARCH NETWORK
Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey has launched a new
$1.9m nationwide computer network for Student Job Search. It provides a
nationally networked system operating from one computer, rather than six
regional networks, which the organisation has been used to. The new
technology opens a variety of possibilities for Student Job Search to make
its service more efficient in new ways.
"The system allows for efficient e-mail contacts with employers, on-line
job boards, a reduction in telephone costs and an interface with the
Department of Work and Income to enable the speedy exchange of information
needed to confirm eligibility for the Community Wage Student and student
allowances," Steve Maharey said.
TEAC REFERENCE GROUP
An international reference group comprising leading post-compulsory education specialists is being appointed to assist the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission, The reference group will provide an expert stream of advice on international developments in post-compulsory education and training and act as a sounding board for the Commission. The reference group comprises leading educationalists from Finland, Sweden, Ireland, the UK and Australia. Additional members are also being sought from North
America.
GATEWAY TO THE WORKPLACE
Twenty-one schools across the country will pilot the Government's new
Gateway - Te Tomokanga programme in 2001.
Gateway - Te Tomokanga is a new initiative which enables senior secondary
students (Years 11 to 13) to participate in structured workplace learning.
It assists schools to make learning relevant and to broaden students'
options by offering them both traditional and work-place learning.
Students pursue individual learning programmes, which allow them to gain
new skills and knowledge in a workplace in their local community. The
learning is hands-on and practical.
"Gateway offers students new learning choices and new opportunities to
begin nationally-recognised qualifications. For example, students looking
to go into the hospitality industry will be able to start on a career
pathway while they are still at school," Employment and Associate Education
Minister Steve Maharey said.
SPORT SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships to assist talented young athletes participate in tertiary education will be available from next year.
The Prime Minister's Sport Scholarships will provide up to $5000-a-year to help cover course costs for athletes' tertiary education. Athletes will also be eligible for up to $5000-a-year for their living and sport-related expenses.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said that the programme has the dual purpose of assisting young athletes realise success in the sporting field while also helping them achieve tertiary education qualifications.
"This government is committed to assisting young New Zealanders towards sporting success while, at the same time, making sure they gain a good education. One of the best ways to help young sports people is to make sure they have some balance in their lives. Undertaking tertiary study will make them more rounded people, and, I believe, leave them better able to cope with the pressures on the sports field," she said.
Applications are available from the Sports Foundation and close on December 15.
CONTACTS AND SUBSCRIPTION
Receive Wise Up by e-mail
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 (special education; transport)
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
