Portfolio: Education

Interim decisions for five Aranui schools

Beehive — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:55:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today announced the interim decisions for the five Aranui schools in greater Christchurch affected by the Government’s Education Renewal Plans. ...

Strengthening teaching and leading for the 21st Century

Admin — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:55:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today announced the next phase of consultation on transforming the New Zealand Teachers Council into a professional body fit for the 21st Century. ...

$136 million investment fast tracks school network upgrades

Admin — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:15:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced the Government will invest $136 million over the next four years to complete the School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP) by 2016 - two years ahead of schedule. Of this funding, $50 million is new money and comes from the Future Investment Fund to pay for new public assets. ...

Schools: $215m more for student achievement

Beehive — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Budget 2013

Budget 2013 reinforces the Government’s commitment to schools with an extra $215 million over four years to further lift student achievement, Education Minister Hekia Parata says. As a result of the extra funding, the Government’s total investment in schools (excluding early childhood education) will increase to $6.3 billion in 2013/14. The $215 million includes $16.2 million in contingency, pending further decisions later in the year. ...

$134m for more modern learning environments

Beehive — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Nikki Kaye | Budget 2013

Budget 2013 provides an additional $134 million in contingency capital funding for new school property, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says. “This Government is committed to investing in education and will ensure that schools are provided with high-quality infrastructure. Our focus is to ensure that we deliver more modern learning environments that are safe, connected, fit for purpose, and inspiring to both teachers and students,” Ms Kaye says. ...

Investment in education increases to over $9.7b

Beehive — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Budget 2013

Budget 2013 delivers $901 million in the current year and over the next four years for operating initiatives to lift educational achievement at every level of the system – from early childhood, to primary, to secondary, and into training for work, Education Minister Hekia Parata says. “We are increasing spending on education – for the fifth Budget in a row. The Government’s total investment increases to over $9.7 billion for the 2013/14 financial year. ...

Early childhood education: $172.5m extra

Beehive — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Budget 2013

Budget 2013 will deliver $172.5 million over four years in new operating investment for early childhood education, Education Minister Hekia Parata says. The Government’s total investment in early childhood education in 2013/14 will be $1.5 billion, up from $860 million in 2007/08. The $172.5 million includes $56.5 million in contingencies, to be drawn down as required. ...

Learning Media Ltd Board Appointments

Beehive — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:20:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata has announced the appointment of Jenn Bestwick as Chair of Learning Media Ltd, and the reappointment of Taria Tahana as a director. Ms Bestwick is a Christchurch-based consultant with in-depth knowledge of the education sector, strategy, and business development. “Ms Bestwick will bring to the role strong governance and leadership experience, as Chair of the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) and a member of Tourism New Zealand and Southern Response Earthquake Services,’’ says Ms Parata. ...

Top scholars recognised

Beehive — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:12:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Wellington College students Thomas Leggat and Nicholas On have been jointly awarded this year’s Prime Minister’s Award for Academic Excellence. Education Minister Hekia Parata attended an event where Prime Minister John Key presented the award at the Top Scholar Award ceremony at Government House today. “This Award recognises the top-achieving student in the annual New Zealand Scholarship awards and is the highest academic accolade students can aim for at secondary school,” says Ms Parata. ...

More early childhood education in places of highest need

Beehive — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:06:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata has announced that nearly 700 more children will have access to quality early childhood education thanks to the Targeted Assistance for Participation Fund. The Fund has allocated $9.3 million to early childhood education in communities of high-need in this financial year. ...

Partnership Schools/Kura Hourua: funding focuses on raising achievement

Beehive — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:14:00 +0000

John Banks | Budget 2013

Budget 2013 will provide $19 million in contingency funding to establish the first Partnership Schools/Kura Hourua with a focus on accountability and high educational outcomes for New Zealand children. The initiative will see a small number of schools established, with greater freedom and flexibility to innovate and engage their students in return for stronger accountability for delivering educational results, Associate Education Minister John Banks says. ...

Education Amendment Bill provides further opportunities for the New Zealand education system

Beehive — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:05:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

The Education Amendment Bill has passed its second reading in Parliament today. Education Minister Hekia Parata says the Bill will help more young New Zealanders to thrive in the education system. “We have an education system that is among the best in the world. On average, four out of five of our kids are successfully getting the qualifications they need from school and going on to lead the lives they want to. ...

Minister invites Australia to International Summit on the Teaching Profession in 2014

Beehive — Fri, 10 May 2013 01:09:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata profiled New Zealand’s educational achievement at the Australian Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood Education in Sydney today. “New Zealand has much to be proud of in our education system including year on year improvements in achievement. We also have a number of challenges,” says Ms Parata. “Given the close relationship with Australia it is very helpful to have these opportunities to share information and thinking and learn from each other.’’ ...

Special education school transport group announced

Beehive — Wed, 08 May 2013 05:20:00 +0000

Nikki Kaye | Education

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye has today announced the members of the special education school transport assistance (SESTA) reference group, set up to improve the provision of SESTA services. The members are: ...

Budget 2013: Supporting parents and communities to lift educational achievement

Beehive — Tue, 07 May 2013 22:04:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Budget 2013

Education Minister Hekia Parata has announced the Government is investing $80.5 million of operating funding over four years in Budget 2013 to help support parents and communities play their role in lifting the educational achievement of young people. ...

Govt to write off small Novopay overpayments

Beehive — Tue, 07 May 2013 01:00:00 +0000

Steven Joyce | Education

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today announced the Ministry of Education will not be seeking to recover small overpayments to school staff that are uneconomic to recover. “In order to assist the recovery of the system and clearance of the overpayment backlog, I have taken the pragmatic decision that the Ministry should not seek to recover a number of smaller overpayments that would take up a lot of time for little benefit to any party,” Mr Joyce says. ...

Govt releases PwC report on Pay Period 3

Beehive — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:55:00 +0000

Steven Joyce | Education

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 3 of the schools’ payroll. Pay Period 3 of the new financial year, which was paid on the morning of 1 May, paid 87,812 people a total of $164.55 million. ...

Novopay to stay in the meantime

Beehive — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:50:00 +0000

Steven Joyce | Education

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today announced that Talent2 will continue to administer the school payroll – but that the long-term future of the system will stay under review. “The decision to stay with Novopay at this point was made very carefully after a great deal of consideration and weighing up of all the risks,” Mr Joyce says. ...

More school networks upgraded to improve learning opportunities

Beehive — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:54:00 +0000

Nikki Kaye | Education

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced a further 80 schools are being invited to upgrade their IT networks so they can increase digital learning and teaching opportunities. “The 80 schools will take the number of schools that are part of the Ministry of Educations’ School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP) to just over 1400, which is more than half of all eligible state and state-integrated schools,” Ms Kaye said. SNUP upgrades the wiring infrastructure and internal data networks of schools. ...

Greens Mislead Public About Partnership School Funding

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:34:00 +0000

John Banks | Education

Metiria Turei’s claim that Te Kotahitanga funding is being canned to fund Partnership Schools has no basis in fact, Associate Minister of Education John Banks said today. “Ms Turei’s claim is akin to saying that government environmental programmes are being canned to pay for the Greens’ $50,000 parliamentary funded asset sales referendum. It’s an absurdly long stretch of the bow to connect the two,” Mr Banks said. ...

Minister announces New Zealand will host the 4th International Summit on the Teaching Profession

Admin — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:21:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata welcomes the news that New Zealand has been successful in the bid to host the fourth International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) in March 2014. “The Summit is a great opportunity for the top performing education systems from around the world to hear how other countries manage and develop the critical area of teaching quality. I am delighted that New Zealand’s bid to host this prestigious event for the teaching profession has been accepted,” says Ms Parata. ...

Ngarimu VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Awards Opening Address

Beehive — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:34:00 +0000

Pita Sharples | Education

Tēnā koutou katoa, ānei rā te mihi ki a koutou katoa e kaha nei ki te hāpai, ki te tautoko i ngā whānau, ngā hapū me ngā marae maha puta noa i o tātou motu whānui nei o Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu. Otirā me te mihi anō ki a koutou e kaha nei ki te poipoi i a tātou tamariki mokopuna, ka riro hoki ma rātou e hoe te waka apōpō. E tika tonu kia mihi ki o tātou mate e hingahinga tonu nei puta noa i te motu. E kore hoki e taea te karo te taonga nei a te mate. Ka maumahara tonu ki a rātou o ngā hoia i mate i te pakanga tuarua. ...

Govt releases PwC report on Pay Period 2

Admin — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:14:00 +0000

Steven Joyce | Education

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 2 of the schools’ payroll. Pay Period 2 of the new financial year, which was paid on the morning of 17 April, paid 88,188 people a total of $171.80 million. ...

NCEA results show more Māori and Pasifika students achieving

Admin — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:10:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed new figures which show more students are achieving NCEA Level 2, particularly Pasifika students. The final NCEA results from 2012 show that 68 per cent of 16 year-olds achieved NCEA Level 2 last year – up 2 per cent. They show a 3.5 per cent increase in Pasifika achievement with 52.5 per cent of 16 year-old Pasifka students achieving NCEA Level 2 last year – up from 49 per cent in 2011. ...

Bill will improve opportunities for all young New Zealanders

Beehive — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 02:37:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the Select Committee report back on the Education Amendment Bill, saying that it will provide a stronger foundation to raise the educational achievement of all young New Zealanders. Ms Parata says the Education and Science Committee has recommended very useful amendments that will benefit both schools and students. “The Bill provides a clear framework to support teachers and principals to make sure their schools provide a safe and effective learning environment at all times.” ...

Speech to the Tamaki Learning Provider's Hui

Admin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:10:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Tēnā koutou katoa, Talofa lava, Kia orana, Mālō e lelei, Ni sa bula vinaka, Taloha ni, Fakaalofa lahi atu, and greetings to you all. Good morning everyone. He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata What is the most important thing in the world? People, people, people...... babies, infants, toddlers, our youngest learners, who will grow up to be our school students, go on to be interns, apprentices, trainees, scholars, our young adults, parents, leaders. ...

Govt releases PwC report on Pay Period 1

Beehive — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:01:00 +0000

Steven Joyce | Education

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 1 of the schools’ payroll. Pay Period 1 of the new financial year, which was paid on the morning of 3 April, paid 88,387 people a total of $173.67 million. This was 942 more staff than for the previous pay round, Pay Period 26. ...

Speech to Auckland Primary Principals Association in Taupō

Admin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:17:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Tēnā koutou katoa, Talofa lava, Kia orana, Mālō e lelei, Ni sa bula vinaka, Taloha ni, Fakaalofa lahi atu, and greetings to you all. Good morning everyone. Thanks for inviting me to be a part of your conference again this year. As principals, you have a vital role to play as leaders of our education sector, and I’d like to thank you all for your hard work and dedication. ...

Government responds on digital literacy

Beehive — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 02:29:00 +0000

Nikki Kaye | Education

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today tabled the Government’s undertaking to deliver on its commitment to digital literacy in education. “Today I have tabled a high level response to the Education and Science Committee’s report, Inquiry into 21st Century learning environments and digital literacy,” Ms Kaye said. “This confirms the Government’s view that all the recommendations are helpful and worthy of further consideration. ...

Lifting educational achievement through increased early childhood education participation

Admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:05:00 +0000

Hekia Parata | Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed new provisional figures which show an increase in the number of children participating in early childhood education, particularly Māori and Pacific Island children. Provisional data for the first quarter of 2013 shows around 95.5 per cent of children that started school this year had participated in early childhood education. That’s up from 94.7 per cent at the same time last year. The provisional data also shows increases in participation rates for Māori and Pasifika children. ...