Minister's Introduction
A couple of years ago I started thinking seriously about why the Government did not use its bulk purchasing power more to save schools money. The Tomorrow's Schools changes provided communities with much greater autonomy over how their school runs and that has largely been a success. But I think we can help improve standards and get better value for our money if we look at some smarter purchasing options and there is a role for the Government in facilitating that.
Computer software is a prime example. Not only is it costly to buy and keep up to date, meeting the legal licensing responsibilities can be a bit of an administrative headache. I've often talked about this in principal meetings and see a number of sheepish grins when I say that we suspect that not all schools meet their legal requirements in this area.
That's why about a year ago I asked the Ministry of Education to start negotiating a blanket deal to cover schools. It's been a long road, but we've finally agreed a licensing deal with Microsoft New Zealand to provide all state and integrated schools, and their staff, with computer software.
It's an exciting breakthrough in the advancement of ICT in our education system. Schools will have free access to a comprehensive range of software. The package includes:
Microsoft Office Professional (including Microsoft Office: Mac 2001)
Microsoft Works
Microsoft Windows Operating System Upgrades (all versions)
Microsoft Front Page
Microsoft Back Office Client Access License
Microsoft Press Office Starts Here, (for on line training of staff)
Microsoft Encarta Reference Suite
Microsoft Visual Studio Professional (programming tools)
The Government is paying $10 million over the next two calendar years for this and that covers about 70,000 desk top computers. A bonus of the agreement is that the package will also be available to all primary and secondary teachers and other staff on their home computers.
There are two other big benefits that will come hand in hand with today's deal. One is that this will contribute to the general efficiency of the administration of schools throughout the country. The other is the financial savings. We are supplying this package free of charge, and the dollar savings, particularly for larger schools with large numbers of computers, will be thousands of dollars.
I'm thrilled that we have managed to reach this arrangement.
You can find out more about the package on the Ministry of Education website at www.minedu.govt.nz
In the meantime, happy surfing.
Trevor Mallard
Minister of Education
New Isolation Index
Education Minister Trevor Mallard is due to announce tomorrow details of a
new Targeted Funding for Isolation system, based on an Isolation Index, to
determine which schools are eligible. It replaces Targeted Rural Funding.
"It is a fairer system that more accurately reflects a school's relative
isolation. Every school is given an isolation index rating rather than
just the crude 'in or out' system that currently operates," Trevor Mallard
said.
"The change means an increase in the number of schools eligible. Nearly 250
new schools will in future qualify for the funding because of their
distance from core population centres. However, some of the schools
currently receiving targeted rural funding will no longer be eligible,
while others will have this element of their funding reduced."
"The problem with the current criteria is that they don't recognise any
relative degree of isolation, such as whether a school is 25 minutes' drive
from Christchurch or two hours from even the smallest service centre. The
new Index will provide a fairer measure of isolation and will be a step
forward in determining relative remoteness."
Information on how individual schools may be affected by the change is
included in letters being sent this week with the indicative operational
funding entitlements.
Further information on TFI will be available on the Ministry of Education's
web-site: www.minedu.govt.nz from tomorrow afternoon.
New CEO For ERO
State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham has announced that former
Green Bay High principal Karen Sewell will be the new Chief Executive of
the Education Review Office.
"I've known Karen since she taught me at Onslow College many, many years
ago," Trevor Mallard said.
"Following the release of the Government's review of ERO, there are a lot
of positive changes happening in the way that schools are reviewed. I
have a lot of faith in Karen's ability to lead those changes."
Pay Parity Working Group
Former Minister of Labour Stan Rodger will chair the working group which
will plan the introduction of pay parity for kindergarten teachers with
teachers in the schools sector.
"We are well on track to keeping our promise the negotiation of benchmarks
and a process for phasing in pay parity to be completed during the first
term in government," Trevor Mallard said.
The working group will convene in Wellington later this month, and will
present a final report to the Minister of Education by the end of the year.
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Assessment Website Launched
Education Minister Trevor Mallard has launched an assessment website that
provides a one-stop assessment shop for teachers. It follows the launch
of new assessment tools to help teachers improve teaching and learning
through better testing methods.
"The website provides additional material to support those tools. It will
also allow teachers to share their success stories and get ideas from
others."
The website is at: http://tki.org.nz/e/assessment/
Boost For Maths Teaching
The Government has announced another key component of its drive to give
every New Zealand child a flying start in learning maths.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard said arrangements were being made for a
further 17,000 primary school teachers to participate in the Government's
numeracy development project.
Almost 3,400 teachers have already been through the professional
development programme, and the Government is so pleased with its success
that it has committed up to $9 million a year to it for the next four
years.
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Security For School Support Services
Education Minister Trevor Mallard today delivered on an election promise,
providing government funding under a rolling three-year contract to secure
the future of the country's School Support Services.
Not only that, but the services will get their first funding increase since
1989. They will get a 10% increase from the beginning of next year.
"The Government is committed to providing a non-contestable nationally
coordinated advisory service to support our principals and our teachers.
This will be achieved by moving to three-year rolling contracts with the
Colleges of Education for the provision of these services," Trevor Mallard
said.
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Future Of Tertiary Education In Wanganui
Public consultation is to start this week on a viable option to deliver tertiary education in Wanganui. Associate Education Minister Steve Maharey said he is considering officials advice to pursue a partnership between Wanganui Regional Community Polytechnic and to preserve community involvement in the polytechnic through the development of a Community Charter and the establishment of a Wanganui Advisory Committee. The future of the polytechnic's Rangahaua faculty is being considered separately from the rest of the institution and it is unlikely to form part of any new partnership between WRCP and UCOL.
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 Marian Hobbs, Associate Minister of Education
Fax: 04 495 8467 e-mail: mhobbs@ministers.govt.nz
Hon Parekura Horomia - Associate Minister of Education (Maori education)
Fax: 04 495 8457 e-mail: phoromia@ministers.govt.nz
