Posted By

Tags

Minister banks on Partnership Schools

Associate Education Minister and Act Leader John Banks was at his rhetoric best in Parliament on June 4, as the House approved the ‘Education Amendment Bill;’ paving the way for the establishment of Partnership Schools in the country.

As reported in these columns earlier, Partnership Schools are institutions funded by the Government but run by the private sector.

Each Partnership School will be based on a contract signed with the Government.

Arguably, the new system offers flexibility in education, school administration and most notable of all, teaching staff without the obligation of being registered with the New Zealand Teachers Council.

Main opposition Parties have slammed the move as a backward step but Mr Banks maintains that this is a ‘great option.’

Positive engagement

Speaking to his fellow lawmakers at the Third Reading of the Bill, he said that Partnership Schools will engage with parents and provide them with meaningful input into their child’s education.

“It is one of the most important things that will be measured under the contract. Educators in Partnership Schools will have the freedom to engage teachers who do not hold registration with the Teachers Council. The decision will be based on the needs of the students, as it should be, not a one rule for every school approach,” Mr Banks said.

He claimed that these schools would have a better Alternative Dispute Resolution system and that Ombudsmen and the Human Rights Commission have been invited to work with Education Ministry for dispute settlement.

Rising underachievers

Mr Banks said that New Zealand suffered from a long history of underachievement in its schools and that such a plight was intergenerational and institutional.

“It is shocking that any system could take children though their formative years and after 13 years turn out students who are functionally illiterate and unprepared for the modern world.

“Partnership Schools can make a real difference to New Zealand’s most disadvantaged students. We want to give five out of five students the opportunity to get a world class education,” he said.

According to him, the Government had received 35 ‘quality applications’ from prospective managers and operators and that achieving educational improvements and being accountable mattered more than whether a Partnership School was run by a trust, charity, business or iwi organisation.

“The applications demonstrate that there is significant interest from numerous diverse communities and organisations in establishing Partnership Schools. Successful applicants will be invited to an interview so the Authorisation Board can explore their vision for the new school in more detail,” Mr Banks said.

Selected regions

He said the Board will interview applicants, determine their competence and advise the Education Ministry accordingly.

Partnership Schools will be established in areas that experience significant underachievement, where students are underserved by the current system, he said.

“Partnership Schools will help make the promise of a world class education a reality for more of our children, so that they can take their place as productive citizens. These Schools are a natural progression of the philosophy of Tomorrow’s Schools in that they empower educators and school communities, and up the level of accountability,” Mr Banks said.

According to the current schedule, the Government proposes to open the first Partnership School early next year.

Additional reading: ‘Encouraging response for Partnership Schools’ in this Section.

Share this story

Related Stories

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Indian Newslink

Previous slide
Next slide

Advertisement

Previous slide
Next slide

Advertisement

Previous slide
Next slide

Advertisement

Previous slide
Next slide

Advertisement

Previous slide
Next slide

Advertisement

Advertisement

Previous slide
Next slide

Advertisement

Previous slide
Next slide

Advertisement

Previous slide
Next slide

Advertisement