A new era signalled for education

Teachers’ union NZEI Te Riu Roa say the governor general’s Speech from the Throne last week could herald the start of a new era in which children’s health, welfare and education are truly valued.

NZEI president Lynda Stuart said it was a pleasure to hear the new government’s clear focus on doing what’s best for children and their learning to the ultimate benefit of all New Zealanders.

“The priorities outlined are a credit to the efforts of all the NZEI members who have fought hard over many years to convince politicians that children deserve the best education in the world, and New Zealand can afford to provide it,” she said.

“NZEI is particularly pleased to see a commitment to employ more teachers, to return to 100 per cent qualified teachers in ECE, and to ensure that every child, including those with additional learning needs, has access to the education they deserve.

NZEI members have spent years lobbying for many of the other priorities outlined, including: 

• Investing an additional $6 billion over four years in modernising our education system, including $1.8 billion to deliver more teachers, better professional development and more learning resources.
• Giving more funding to schools that do not ask for parental donations/fees.
• Developing a 30-year strategic plan for education.
• Piloting counsellors in primary schools
• Rebuilding outdated or unsuitable classrooms
• Ending bureaucratic national standards
• An end to charter schools