Advocacy group ‘deeply concerned’ about education council decision

&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;" alignright size-full wp-image-949" style&equals;"margin&colon; 5px&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" alt&equals;"SND05-wk4-News-Advocacy-Susan Warren 300x225" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;schoolnewsnz&period;fastrackdev&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2014&sol;07&sol;SND05-wk4-News-Advocacy-Susan&lowbar;Warren&lowbar;&lowbar;300x225&period;jpg" width&equals;"300" height&equals;"225" &sol;>An Auckland-based education advocacy group says last week&&num;8217&semi;s announcement that the new Education Council will be led by people appointed only by the Ministry of Education is alarming&comma; and demonstrates a lack of faith in and support for New Zealand&&num;8217&semi;s teachers&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p> <&excl;--more--> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>We welcome the change to ensuring at least five members of the new Education Council will be registered teachers&comma; but we are deeply concerned that despite overwhelming advice to the contrary&comma; the Select Committee is refusing to allow any of the members to be elected by the profession&period; Instead&comma; all will be Ministerial appointees&period;&comma;î COMET Auckland chief executive Susan Warren said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>A decision of this nature would be completely unacceptable for a professional body in any other field&period; The Education Council needs to have credibility&comma; expertise and independence so it can act in the interests of learners without being swayed by political pressures&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>It is hard to see how that can be achieved unless at least a few positions on the council are appointed by the profession&period; The Education Council has potential to make a real difference for education in New Zealand&comma; with its broader goals and powers than the current Teachers Council&period; However&comma; the Education Council can only be effective if it has the confidence of the profession&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The announcement indicates that the Minister has lost all faith in our nation&&num;8217&semi;s teachers – hardly a positive sign for the future of education&comma; Ms Warren said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;