MINISTER'S INTRODUCTION
This week, the Prime Minister and I released the Government's egovernment
strategy. While I was wearing my State Services Minister hat, the strategy
does cross over into all spheres of government including education.
In January this year 138,000 people logged onto Government websites. The
increased popularity was due in large to about 23,000 people who visited
the NZQA site looking for bursary results. Understandably, more than 60%
of them were under 21 years old and stayed online for an average of about
four minutes.
Gone are the days where we had no choice but to hover around the letterbox
waiting for our examination results. Students these days have been brought
up around technology and their expectations of online service are much
greater than those of my generation.
The NZQA's experiment with online bursary results had some technical
hitches to begin with. But it proved that the demand for this type of
service is very real and the egovernment strategy will ensure that
Government caters for this kind of demand.
The strategy defines three essential characteristics of e-government,
convenience and satisfaction, integration and efficiency, and
participation. It sets out a plan to work towards New Zealand being a
world leader in e-government.
Within education, there is already considerable progress in egovernment.
The Education Review Office site, which allows parents to access copies of
reviews online is an example of convenience and satisfaction. Te Kete
Ipurangi has huge potential to make teaching more efficient through the
sharing of up to date and relevant curriculum resources. These are both
examples of egovernment working well.
But issues of access will also measure the success of egovernment. Our
Government-business education based digital opportunity pilot projects are
leading the development of access to good bandwidth as well as issues of
opportunity regardless of socio economic background. This week I was in
West Auckland, and my Associate Minister Parekura Horomia was in Gisborne
to announce which schools are taking part in the project to access
Microsoft technology training. (more details below).
Both egovernment and the digital opportunities programme are exciting areas
to be involved in and I hope to give you regular updates on how they are
progressing.
Trevor Mallard
Minister of Education
NEW PLAN FOR SCHOOLING IN OTARA
The Government is to contribute 14.4 million towards a plan to bring
Hillary College, Bairds Intermediate and Clydemore Primary together on one
campus. The concept envisages the re-development of the Hillary College
site into a multi-school "Village of Learning".
It will have pre-school services on site, provide an integrated education
for primary, intermediate and secondary students, and have close curriculum
ties with the neighbouring Manukau Institute of Technology.
"It will provide a quality, seamless education to all of its students.
Both educationally and culturally, the Campus will be a centre for
innovation and excellence," Trevor Mallard said.
DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY FOR TECHNOLOGY TRAINING
Four secondary schools in West Auckland and four in Gisborne have been
named to participate in a leading edge government?business partnership
project to create digital opportunity.
The ICT Technology Training pilot project will enable 100 senior students
in each of the eight participating schools to access Microsoft technology
training this year. Another 100 students will be able to access training
next year. A smaller number of students will progress to examination and
certification level, but we aim to ensure every year 12 pupil in every
participating school takes some of the base training modules.
The eight schools taking part are Rutherford College, Waitakere College,
Kelston Boys' and Kelston Girls' High Schools in West Auckland, and
Campion College, Lytton High School, Gisborne Girls' and Gisborne Boys'
High Schools in Gisborne. The project is one of four digital opportunity
pilots announced in February.
SAFE SCHOOLS
The Government is funding a three-year project to develop a comprehensive
health and safety system for schools.
"The Government wants to increase health and safety skills within our
schools and to see the creation of a safe schools culture that supports a
safe and healthy learning environment," Education Minister Trevor Mallard
said.
The $2.1 million Safe Schools project will integrate health and safety
practices across employees, students and visitors to schools. The Ministry
of Education has started work with Aon Risk Services on the scoping and
information gathering for the project.
REDUCING SUSPENSIONS
A new Government initiative to help schools to deal with the issue of
student misbehaviour aims to reduce the number of students being suspended
from school.
The Suspensions Reduction Initiative will bring together clusters of
secondary schools in areas that have high rates of student suspension so
they can address the issue. The main focus will be to reduce the high
proportion of Maori students being suspended from school.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard and Associate Education Minister Parekura
Horomia announced the initiative last week in line with the release of the
latest report of school stand-downs, suspensions, exclusions and
expulsions. (results available at: www.minedu.govt.nz)
Up to 18 clusters will be formed, each with between three and six schools,
and the Ministry of Education is now inviting schools in areas of high
suspension to participate in the initiative. The Government will put more
than $2 million a year into the project.
"This funding will provide support to students, to principals and to school
boards, and help them to deal with this growing problem. Some of it will be
used to support local initiatives developed by the clusters of schools,"
Trevor Mallard said.
BATTLE OF CRETE ESSAY COMPETITION
Around 300 entries were received for an essay competition for senior
secondary school students on the Battle of Crete.
The four winners will accompany the Prime Minister to Crete next month for
official commemorations marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Battle of
Crete. They are Ben Brown (Hebron Christian College, Auckland), Asha
Burnett (Kaipara College), Naere Matene (James Cook High School, Auckland)
and Amelia Rushbrook (Burnside High School, Christchurch).
COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TO REMAIN
The Government will not be proceeding with the Tertiary Education Advisory
Commission's recommendation that legislative protections around use of the
term "college of education" be removed.
Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education) says he believed the
Commission did not propose this change as part of any attempt to undermine
the colleges, but rather because they did not think that particular term
needed to protected.
"Nonetheless, while the debate it has generated has been useful in many
respects, it also risks diverting attention from the main task of
developing a framework which can prepare the tertiary education system for
a lead role in developing New Zealand as a knowledge economy and society.
Essentially, if the Colleges and their students feel it is important to
them that the term continue to protected, then it will be."
EMPLOYER ENDORSEMENT FOR MODERN APPRENTICESHIPS
An evaluation of the pilot phase of Modern Apprenticeships shows a strong
endorsement for it from employers and Modern Apprentices.
The report Formative Evaluation of the Modern Apprenticeships Pilots was
prepared by Skill New Zealand as the first part of an ongoing evaluation
process.
According to the report, the Modern Apprenticeships pilot has confirmed the
demand from young people and their parents for supported training in the
workplace. Employers have responded positively to Modern Apprenticeships,
in particular the individualised approach to training and the services
provided by Modern Apprenticeships Co-ordinators.
There are now more than 500 Modern Apprentices.
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
