More support needed for Principals, Boards

NZPF: More support needed for Principals, Boards of Trustees

- New Zealand Principals’ Federation -

The New Zealand Principals Federation supports the majority of findings in the latest NZCER report, “School Governance in New Zealand: how is it working?” The report released today, recommends that the Board of Trustees model continue, with improved resourcing and funding from the Ministry of Education.

NZPF President Judy Hanna says the findings of the report suggest the current resourcing level should be improved. “This is what the NZPF has been saying for some time now. Schools need more financial support, so they can employ administrative staff capable of servicing both school managers and the Board of Trustees. Only then will we be providing our Boards of Trustees with the tools to do their job properly.”

Hanna says the NZPF agrees with the reports’ findings that the Board of Trustees model is the best way forward. “We support Boards of Trustees in a governance role, but we agree that they need more training, especially in strategic planning and review. These people are not educational experts, yet we are asking them to take responsibility for the governance of a huge operation, with only minimal training and support.”

The report also suggests that Boards of Trustees need more support when appointing a principal, and suggests a new model using local educational experts. “The report states, ‘If we are serious about improving student learning and reducing educational disparity, then we need to ensure that all schools can appoint good quality principals and keep them.’ We couldn’t agree more,” says Hanna. “The appointment of a principal is critical to the success of a school, and every principal needs the support and resourcing so they can focus on their key role – leading the learning.”

Hanna is pleased to see that both Boards of Trustees and Principals enjoy a strong and healthy working relationship. “The NZCER report shows that over 95% of Boards, and Principals, found their relationship to be satisfactory. That’s a great result, which reflects the huge efforts being made by both groups.”

Hanna says the Ministry of Education needs to look at these findings and make changes to its’ funding and support system for Boards of Trustees. “The Ministry of Education must ensure any policy changes are easy for schools and boards to implement, and provide the funding and support so our Boards can do their jobs properly.”

ENDS

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