Tomorrow's Schools recommendations welcomed

7 December 2018

Our nation’s children are finally being put at the heart of the education system.

The Tomorrow’s Schools Independent Taskforce reported back today and is proposing significant changes to the way our education system is run and it includes a focus being put back on children.

The recommendations from the report have been welcomed by NZEI Te Riu Roa.

“This is putting children’s wellbeing back at the heart of education – which is what we have been saying for a very long time. It redefines what success looks like for kids and has a big focus on equity,” says NZEI Te Riu Roa President Lynda Stuart.

“This is a big, bold and brave move from the taskforce and we welcome it. We are excited by the opportunities that it presents.”

Ms Stuart says she was particularly pleased that the role of school support staff had been recognised.

“The report says that their status and roles (and the skills that they bring) have been a lost opportunity for schools and this report recommends that there be a career pathway for them.

“We obviously need to look at the finer details of the whole report, and we have lots of questions, but it is a great start.”

Some of the key recommendations include:

That school boards be reoriented so that their core responsibilities are the strategic and annual plans, student success and wellbeing, curriculum and assessment.
Education hubs would be established and will assume all the legal responsibilities and liabilities held by school boards with delegation back to principals and tumuaki
Need for a national school network strategy including a dedicated pathway for Kaupapa Maori and to support Maori language provision
Enrolment schemes must be fair and equitable
Learning support would be provided through education hubs
Teaching Council will work with ITE providers to ensure better preparation of teachers regarding learning needs and inclusion
Viable pathways for the development, and enhanced status, of paraprofessionals (support staff)
Recruit a diversity of teachers and guarantee employment for new teachers
Equity resourcing to increase to 6% of total resourcing

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