Balancing Independence With Government Regulation

Hon Heather Roy, Associate Minister of Education
Wednesday, June 2 2010


Hon Heather Roy speech to the Independent Schools of New Zealand Board Chairs' Seminar; the Hyatt Regency Auckland, cnr Waterloo Quadrant & Princes St, Auckland; Monday, May 31 2010.

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

It's a pleasure to be here today. Thank you, Peter Ferguson, for your warm welcome. I welcome the chance to talk to you about governance issues that affect you. I hope to see much more of your principals and staff, and I very much enjoy visiting your schools.

A Board of Trustees is an essential part of every school. It provides leadership, strategic direction and an important link between parents, staff and students.

As Board Chairs, you are dedicated to governing successful schools and committed to providing the highest quality of education to your students. In doing so, you make a significant contribution to the overall Education sector.

Boardmembers come from all walks of life and bring to the table a wealth of experience across a range of fields including business, finance, management and law. Collectively, this knowledge makes a valuable contribution to a school's governance and - inevitably - to its performance.

As leaders, you make decisions that influence the opportunities available to your students and determine where resources are directed to meet the priorities and goals of your schools.

Professional development events such as today are a great opportunity for you to come together and share best practice, expertise and experience. They also provide an opportunity to find solutions to the challenges that inevitably arise.

Despite the challenges, education is undoubtedly one of the most exciting sectors to be part of.

I am sure that, through your own involvement, you are frequently amazed at the achievements of our children and young people and at the dedication of the teachers and professionals working within the sector - I know I certainly am.

The Government wants to build on this further to ensure that students are having success across the board and in every single school.

One way this is possible is through increased choice in education. Choice allows parents to select an education that suits their child's needs, interests and talents. It also enables schools to cater for their students in a variety of ways.

Students should not be sitting bored in the classroom; they should be excited by their studies and undertaking courses that are relevant to them as individuals.

The independence your schools have from Government regulation means you can provide innovative specialist programmes that offer something different to the status quo and, in doing so, provide greater choice for students.

The Corelli School for the Arts in Auckland is just one example of an independent school offering specialised programmes to its students with a focus on drama, music, dance, and the visual arts. I had the pleasure of visiting the school at the start of the year and got to meet some of our future actors, filmmakers and musicians.

The freedom your schools have over choosing curricula means an increasing number are offering the Cambridge or IB to students. Again, I'm very encouraged by the greater choices that a variety of curricula offers students.

ICT is playing an increasingly large role in schools and is changing the way we think about and deliver education. Several schools are now using video-conferencing and internet forums to deliver subjects and quality teaching to students living in remote locations. I suspect that, as we move further into the 21st Century, advances such as this will continue to grow.

This type of variety is essential if we are to capture the interests of our children and young people and develop their skills and talents. Although we see scattered examples throughout the country, I want to see much more of it within the Education sector as a whole.

We need to rethink the availability and affordability of choice between educational options so that every family has access to the school that best meets the needs of their children.

Parents should not be powerless bystanders in education; they should be active and informed participants, in a position to actively make the best decisions for their children. Unfortunately, many parents and students have their choices restricted because of financial restraints.

Enhancing choice for some of these families was the motivation behind the Aspire Scholarships I launched last year - an initiative that is having great success in giving students from low-income homes the chance to go to an independent school.

I have received numerous letters from students, parents and principals updating me on the progress of Aspire scholars and I am very encouraged by what I am hearing. Initial feedback is very positive and I know that many will now have opportunities in education and life that may not have been available.

At one school, an Aspire student recently came top of the class in a maths and science test and now has ambitions to become a vet. At another, a student - who in the past had an inconsistent school career - has not missed a day all year; and a ballet dancer at a school for the arts is now in his element after being bullied at his previous school. He is loving every minute and, at the beginning of the year, his parents moved the entire family from Whangarei to Auckland just so he could attend the school.

These are just three examples of the 128 students who are making the most of the opportunities their new schools have to offer - and there will be more next year.

We have just drawn the ballot for the 2011 Aspire Scholarships - 50 Year 9 and 24 Year 10 scholarships are available, beginning next year for the duration of the Aspire Scholars' secondary schooling. I am sure there will be even more success stories to share with you then.

The opportunities these students are experiencing would not be possible without the support shown by your schools, and I thank you sincerely for embracing this initiative. Your willingness to promote and advertise the scheme and your enthusiasm to have Aspire students at your schools have contributed to the success of the programme.

This initiative also wouldn't have been possible without additional funding from Government.

I understand that funding is a long-standing issue for your schools. When the Government capped annual subsidies between 2000 and 2009, many of your schools were forced to increase fees. This had the unfortunate effect of making the independent sector inaccessible to many families.

This Government recognised the need to make independent schools more affordable for parents by increasing the total funds available.

The additional $35 million over three years delivered through Budget 2009 was a long-awaited, but significant, increase when considering the current economic climate. It is nearly 30 percent more than what was previously received.

I know there is some frustration about the funding of State and State-Integrated schools, and the programmes they can access but which you are not automatically able to. I am working with your executive to discuss availability of these programmes for your staff.

State school funding is part of a 'package deal' that comes with regulation, input controls, intervention powers and accountability requirements.

In contrast, independent schools enjoy complete discretion over spending their subsidy and - most importantly - are able to focus solely on the needs of students rather than the demands of Government.

It is important to remember that when you accept Government funding there are always strings attached and, inevitably, you face more interference in the day-to-day running of your schools.

Given the increase in subsidy in 2009, no extra funding is available in the current environment. Instead, we are thinking outside the square and looking at ways to include independent schools in education initiatives. I am aware that a priority for your schools is to obtain Government support to assist your participation in the ultra-fast broadband rollout.

I am also moving forward with legislation that will enact a number of the Law Commission's recommendations put forward in their report published last year.

Minister Trolley and I have accepted a number of these recommendations so that the laws governing independent schools are modernised and streamlined.

The changes will update and clarify the registration criteria for independent schools; better enable Government to take action where the welfare of children is at risk; modernise the language within the Education Act; and specify actions that the Secretary of Education may take when there are concerns about the operation of a school.

We have accepted recommendations that ensure the legislation continues to be relevant and effective without over regulating independent schools.

A paper outlining these legislative changes and an amendment Bill are now in the process of being prepared for Cabinet.

Before closing, I would like to say that we have much to be proud of within the Education sector.

When I see the work of teachers and students during my visits to schools throughout the country, and when I look at the NCEA and scholarship Cambridge and IB results, I am always encouraged about New Zealand's future. Your schools are constantly among the best.

Success in education requires a great deal of commitment and dedication from students, parents and teachers, and strong leadership from principals and the Boards of Trustees.

I look forward to continuing to work with you to strengthen the independent sector in New Zealand. I believe that a strong and dynamic independent sector can improve the overall performance of our education system. I frequently remind those who are less than complimentary about independent schools - especially about the funding you receive - of the more than $200 million that you save the taxpayer annually, and of the pressure that you take off State schools.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you and I wish you all the best for the remainder of your seminar.

ENDS

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