Education review to include trustee role
Everything from how school boards of trustees operate to the role of the Ministry of Education in schools will be part of an overhaul of the education system.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced last month the biggest educational reform New Zealand has seen in almost three decades.
Hipkins released a three-year work programme that detailed extensive overhauls as part of the coalition agreement between Labour and NZ First, including a full review of the Tomorrow’s Schools model.
Yesterday Hipkins released the terms of reference for that review, which he described as ‘‘broad-based and not constrained in its thinking’’.
It’s expected the role of boards of trustees, which were introduced under the Tomorrow’s Schools model in the 1980s, would be looked at as part of the review.
The review will consider the following:
The ability of governance, management and administration of the schooling system to respond to the education needs of the future
The ability of schools to respond flexibly to their local communities and the need to balance this with every child’s right to a responsive education at their local school, regardless of where they live
The roles of governance, management and administration in schools, and how they could better support equity and inclusion in the educational progress and outcomes for all children throughout their schooling
Giving active expression to te Tiriti o Waitangi by exploring the impact of the governance, management and administrative system on the ability of schools to meet the needs of all Ma¯ori students and assessing its effectiveness for Ma¯ori medium students.
The environment within which schools operate, including the roles of the Ministry, ERO, NZQA, Education Council and NZSTA in supporting schools (and the yet to be established Education Advisory Service and the Leadership Council). The review covers the provision of compulsory schooling for children and young people aged 5-19 years (or 21 years for learners with high needs) and is limited to state and state-integrated schools.
However, Hipkins said the review may take into account the transition to tertiary study and work, and the transition from early learning to schooling.
‘‘There’s been a lot of tinkering around the edges since Tomorrow’s Schools was introduced, which has moved the governance, management and administration of schools further and further away from what it aimed to achieve,’’ he said. ‘‘This broad-based review gives schools, students and communities the opportunity to take part in drawing the blueprint for how schools should be organised from here on.
‘‘It will look at how we can better support equity and inclusion for all children throughout their schooling, what changes are needed to support their educational success, and at the fitness of our school system to equip all our students for a rapidly changing world. The review will consider how schools might interact differently with their communities, with other schools, with employers, and with other government organisations, to serve the best interests of our young people.’’
An independent five-to-seven taskforce will be appointed next month, which will consult widely before reporting back to Hipkins in November.