education
Categories under education
- schools (159)
- tertiary education (55)
A sustainable future
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, February 8th, 2012 - 19 comments
The UN High Level Panel on Global Sustainability has delivered a report about creating a future that’s sustainable economically, socially and environmentally. Our government and political parties should be looking at it and measuring themselves against it.
TEU: Treasury’s attack on ordinary Kiwis
Written By: - Date published: 4:05 pm, February 3rd, 2012 - 117 comments
Public education is the cornerstone of a good country and a buoyant economy. And New Zealanders have long enjoyed the benefits that come to them individually, to their families, their communities, their country, and the economy from having access to quality public education. But all this now seems under attack from a small group of Treasury officials.
NZ has best value for money education in the world
Written By: - Date published: 10:52 am, January 11th, 2012 - 65 comments
Generating a false crisis to justify their ideological policies is a classic rightwing tactic. Key gravely pronounces the system is ‘broken’ and their policy is the solution. Education has been victim to this bullshit. But OECD stats show that we have the best value for money education in the world. How will National justify their ideological assault on teachers now?
Irony
Written By: - Date published: 11:22 am, December 21st, 2011 - 71 comments
Irony will be if Anne Tolley gets sacked over a portfolio she no longer holds. And if she’s fired, not for turning one of the world’s most successful education systems into an ideological warzone over performance pay but, for lying to Parliament about a principal turned ministry expert with a sleazy husband being suspended.
Right-wing Herald element goes OTT
Written By: - Date published: 8:29 pm, December 10th, 2011 - 61 comments
John Armstrong’s column today – not yet on website – is extraordinary. “Elements on the left cried wolf about National having a secret agenda” Armstrong’s faux outrage is generated by the fact that National’s charter schools policy was not part of any election mandate, and some people have pointed this out. Funny how people on the left are always “elements” – couldn’t possibly have a mind of their own.
ImperatorFish: The Two Most Powerful Arguments They Can Muster
Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, December 10th, 2011 - 5 comments
Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here
National seem to be backing Charter Schools on the premise that if the teachers don’t want them, they must be good.
ImperatorFish: Not Irony #2
Written By: - Date published: 2:48 pm, December 8th, 2011 - 38 comments
Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here
David Farrar is running National’s line that anything the teachers don’t want must be good for the education of our children…
The long game on charter schools & national standards
Written By: - Date published: 12:32 pm, December 7th, 2011 - 57 comments
Charter schools and national standards/league tables are part of the same process. It’s about siphoning off public funds, the best pupils, and the best teachers into ‘elite’ schools, and leaving everyone else behind. It’s about cutting money for ‘failing’ schools and ‘failing’ students. It ultimately means more lost potential and a poorer NZ, but one that serves the elite’s interests.
Charter schools
Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, December 6th, 2011 - 112 comments
Once again, under National, we get to repeat an experiment that failed 20 years ago. All cooked up on the back of an envelope in a coalition deal. Education deserves much better.
Nats’ education policy
Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, November 22nd, 2011 - 35 comments
The Nats’ education policy came out yesterday and, predictably, it’s ideologically driven nonsense that will damage children. Worst aspects, league tables (almost universally condemned by experts and experience) and a proposal for the Nats to specify a “personality test” to select teachers.
A sharp contrast
Written By: - Date published: 12:11 pm, November 11th, 2011 - 21 comments
When people say ‘there’s no difference between the two big parties’ or ‘where are the policies’, it’s shorthand for ‘I haven’t been paying attention’. We had a great example of the contrast yesterday. National would subsidise expansion of dairy by selling our assets; Labour would get modern equipment to poor schoolkids by cutting sports subsidies to rich schools.
End of night classes makes for a poorer society
Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, November 7th, 2011 - 30 comments
The number of people attending adult community education has fallen by 80% since National’s cuts in 2009. National’s cuts have saved only $24m (vs the $1.1b cost of the ‘fiscally neutral’ tax cuts) but have denied over a quarter of a million people the opportunity to broaden their horizons and acquire new skills. National is leaving a poorer society behind it.
Is Key going where Gove’s gone?
Written By: - Date published: 1:33 pm, October 31st, 2011 - 78 comments
National’s “Future Fund” asset-sale money will be spent on modernising schools we are told. Is the future they have in mind like Conservative Education Minister Michael Gove’s so-called “free schools” now being set up in Britain? It would be no surprise if our public assets were sold down by National to pay for private interests to get a stake in the school system here. We shouldn’t be under any illusions that the agenda is just short-term.
VTM Bill passes – rejoice!
Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, September 30th, 2011 - 101 comments
Grateful citizens rejoiced this week at the passage of the VTM (Voluntary Taxation Mechanism) bill.
Food in Schools?
Written By: - Date published: 6:32 am, September 28th, 2011 - 33 comments
John Key promised to put Food in poorer Schools across New Zealand to help children to learn. What has he done about it? One cheap, but very well-publicised stunt. Will we see any substance? Or is this another promise like not raising GST, wages catching Australia, or capping not cutting the civil service?
The last student protest?
Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, September 27th, 2011 - 55 comments
One of the big stories last night was the anti-VSM protest at Auckland Uni. Was it the last one we will see in NZ? That would suit the Nats very nicely – sheep will be so much easier to fleece…
Education Standards and National Standards
Written By: - Date published: 6:01 pm, September 14th, 2011 - 50 comments
The guys at RSA Animate provide their illustative talents to a quite brilliant and wide ranging lecture by Sir Ken Robinson on the topic of education. In the space of just over 10 minutes, he ranges from it’s industrial beginnings to its doped out, standardised present and argues finally, that educationally we’re heading in exactly the wrong direction and suggests alternatives.
Join the dots on universities
Written By: - Date published: 1:20 pm, September 14th, 2011 - 50 comments
The government has been cutting funding to universities, and the effects are beginning to show.
A school board member writes
Written By: - Date published: 4:44 pm, September 11th, 2011 - 74 comments
The other night I resigned from the bot of my local school. My experience in the field of education is fairly varied, with time on both sides of the chalkface as it were. … the bot has been forced by the government, through the moe to include national standards, and I can’t in good conscience be a party to such foolishness.
More Armstrong bullshit
Written By: - Date published: 5:38 pm, September 10th, 2011 - 67 comments
John Armstrong wants Labour to come out radically different after the Cup. Having refused to cover Labour’s skills package or its mining policy, he’s suddenly interested in policy. He wants Labour to suddenly adopt league tables and forget the 39% tax rate. Armstrong genuinely doesn’t seem to get it. Parties of the Left don’t pick and swap policies on a whim.
Boards Taking Action
Written By: - Date published: 9:11 am, September 8th, 2011 - 133 comments
RNZ had the news this morning that the schools most strongly opposing the nonsense of “national standards” – the Boards Taking Action Coalition – have decided to change their tactics.
1 in 5 Canty Uni jobs cut
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, September 2nd, 2011 - 11 comments
The Tertiary Education Union has revealed that 350 jobs are for the chop at Canterbury University – 18% of the workforce. The Uni, hardly reassuringly, says its 100 to 500. The Nats blame the quake. That’s rubbish. These kind of cuts will permanently gut the Uni, leaving it in no position to be part of the recovery. National: the anti-education government.
Welcome to Finland
Written By: - Date published: 6:54 am, August 31st, 2011 - 58 comments
Where National Standards is only the answer to “what keeps other countries from catching our education system?”
Academic quality under attack
Written By: - Date published: 1:29 pm, August 24th, 2011 - 24 comments
As National’s spending cuts come home to roost, tertiary managers are trying to save money by cutting professional development expenditure. Sandra Grey of the Tertiary Education Union’s guest post explains how this has an insidious effect in driving down the quality of our academics and encouraging them to leave the country.
Tolley’s delusions of relevance
Written By: - Date published: 1:55 pm, August 17th, 2011 - 53 comments
More and more schools are standing up and saying No to national standards. Naturally, Tolley thinks it’s all about her.
Nats refuse to face their record on youth
Written By: - Date published: 6:46 am, August 17th, 2011 - 46 comments
Having decided to beat up on a few thousand of the most hard done by young people in the country, National is now refusing to acknowledge the problem of disconnected youth that has ballooned under their watch. There are enough young people who aren’t in education, training, or work to fill Eden Park, and Key is literally running from the issue.
The real cost of PPP’s revealed
Written By: - Date published: 5:13 pm, August 9th, 2011 - 40 comments
A report in the Financial Times, that hotbed of socialism, says that PFI’s as PPP’s are known in Britain cost an extra 20 billion pounds in “extra borrowing costs” over the 53 billion pounds of the projects’ actual cost. Not only that, 4 billion pounds will go to consultants. Enough said. Another dumb idea from those who gave us collateralised debt instruments, self-correcting markets and “there is no alternative”.
VSM protest at Otago
Written By: - Date published: 2:26 pm, August 5th, 2011 - 90 comments
About 600 Otago students turned out this morning to meet John Key in protest to the VSM bill. Good to see a strong show of support for student unions!
20% of Schools Break the Law!
Written By: - Date published: 4:03 pm, July 31st, 2011 - 61 comments
Why is it that the Ministry of Education has at least 20% of the school boards unwilling to put National’s standards into their charters. They are doing this despite the blatant bullying by the Anne Tolley as the minister. They can’t see what the standards would positively achieve for their kids. Perhaps Tolley needs some education?
Nats smear kindergartens
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, July 25th, 2011 - 57 comments
Tolley’s running a nasty little smear through Cameron Slater. See, non-profit kindergartens have millions in the bank while saying they need more cash. It must be a rip-off, eh? Yeah. Nah. The kindergartens just have the cash they’ve been given for future operations. So, why is Tolley trying to make this an issue?
The problem is not in the schools
Written By: - Date published: 7:29 am, July 20th, 2011 - 90 comments
According to a recent report, disadvantaged NZ youth are at the “bottom of OECD league”. The report recommends various interventions in schools. The recommendations completely miss the point, because the problem is not in the schools, the problem is in society.
- The NZ Super Fund has Israeli investments worth $35m. Could it divest?
Sanctions would likely require a law change, but there’s another path the government could consider if it chooses to take a tougher line. The decision by Israel’s parliament to designate the United Nations’ Palestinian relief agency UNRWA a “terrorist organisation” has been condemned by many governments, with claims it will ...2 weeks ago - For abuse in care survivors, an apology without action means nothing
Tomorrow, the prime minister will deliver a national apology for abuse that occurred in state and faith-based care. But for survivors, redress and accountability still look to be a long way off, writes Steve Goodlass. As we drew closer to the date of the public apology, the response minister Erica ...2 weeks ago
- Inside the urgent race to solve homelessness in Aotearoa
As homelessness hits an all-time high, New Zealand’s frontline organisations are embracing unconventional and innovative strategies. Joel MacManus takes a closer look at the crisis and meets the people who claim to have the cure. Photos taken by David Jensen on an outing in Wellington, October 2024. The names of ...2 weeks ago
- Hīkoi (v.24)
A poem by Ātea editor Liam Rātana. We should write something about it— strange if we didn’t. You’d want something insightful, wouldn’t you, something about feet moving, fists pounding, flags waving, horns honking, voices shouting loud enough to wake even the deepest sleep. We’re always angry, ready to mobilise, ...2 weeks ago
- The ferry to Russell
In an effort to squeeze in as much public transport as possible to the last day of my trip, I caught the ferry from Paihia to Russell/Kororāreka The crossing took 17 minutes and cost me $17 for a return trip. There are three ferry companies operating services across the bay. ...2 weeks ago
- The longest commute, day seven: To the end of New Zealand’s public transport network
Joel MacManus attempts to travel from the bottom to the top of the country without a car or plane. Today: the last hurrah. The mission: Get from Stewart Island to Cape Reinga as fast as possible using only public transport. Wherever I can, I’ll travel by train. In areas that ...2 weeks ago
- I’m not allowed to bike to Cape Reinga
Mad Chapman has vetoed my plan to bike the last leg from Kaitaia to Cape Reinga. It’s a bit hypocritical coming from someone who once rode an Onzo bike from Mt Eden to Huntly for a story, but she’s all responsible now that she’s the editor. Please, if you have ...2 weeks ago
- The Bay of Islands
I’ve made it to Paihia but something terrible has happened that could put this entire trip in jeopardy. I need to go make some calls. I’ll fill you in soon. ...2 weeks ago
- Khalistan ‘Referendum’ In Auckland Discussed At Top Diplomatic Levels
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed that S Jaishankar, India's minister of external affairs, raised the issue during the meeting but declined to provide details of the discussion. ...2 weeks ago - Commission Calls For The Promise Of Te Tiriti O Waitangi To Be Honoured
The Commission’s Rongomau Taketake Indigenous Rights Governance Partner, Dayle Takitimu, said the Government had completely ignored the Waitangi Tribunal’s recommendations in its interim report Ngā Mātāpono, including for the Bill to be abandoned. ...2 weeks ago
- Interim Financial Statements Of The Government Of New Zealand For The Three Months Ended 30 Septembe...
The September results are reported against forecasts based on the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2024 (BEFU 2024), published on 30 May 2024, and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...2 weeks ago
- Commission Report Released On Domestic Contribution To The Second Nationally Determined Contribution
Minister of Climate Change Simon Watts today released the Commission’s report on the domestic emissions reductions that Aotearoa New Zealand could achieve as part of the country's second nationally determined contribution (NDC2). ...2 weeks ago
- Cleaners Left In Limbo After Contract Change At Auckland Transport Sites
After MMS lost its contract to provide cleaning services for Auckland Transport sites to City Cleaning, cleaners’ pay and conditions should have been transferred to the new contractor under Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act. ...2 weeks ago
- Social Housing Cutbacks Confirmed As Govt Axes Another 310 Kāinga Ora Workers
This makes a total of 551 roles lost since April 2024, or one in six workers across the country. A third of the workforce is in Auckland. ...2 weeks ago
- Have Your Say On The Oversight Of Oranga Tamariki System Legislation Amendment Bill
The bill seeks to enhance oversight and monitoring of the Oranga Tamariki system by making structural changes to the Independent Children’s Monitor and the Children and Young People’s Commission. ...2 weeks ago
- Has Simon Watts Forgotten Who The Minister Is?
Does he not realise that he is the Minister in charge of the people who perpetrated this travesty? The people who have been affected need to see action, instead of the Minister’s ‘disappointment’. ...3 weeks ago
- More Than 18,400 Kiwis Call On Select Committee To Front Up On MPs’ Expenses
“Why should MPs not be held to the same standards as Ministers? If you’re spending taxpayers’ money, the public need to see the receipts” said James Ross, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the Taxpayers’ Union. ...3 weeks ago
- Introduction Of The Treaty Principles Bill
The existence and introduction of the Bill is extremely disappointing, has created angst amongst our people and further fuels the divisiveness created by Hon David Seymour and the Act Party. ...3 weeks ago
- Treaty Principles Bill Is Deliberately Divisive
...3 weeks ago
- Parihaka: Remembering A Legacy Of Peaceful Resistance
This small papakāinga, now a powerful symbol of passive resistance, was the site of Aotearoa's first recorded non-violent stand against colonial violence and land confiscation. ...3 weeks ago
- Cook Islands Leader Insists New Passports Won’t Affect Ties With New Zealand
The Cook Islands leader says new passport proposal will not impact ties with Aotearoa, but a New Zealand Foreign Affairs spokesperson says it "would have implications". ...3 weeks ago
- The Treaty Principles Bill Is Advanced Without Us And In Spite Of Us
“The Bill is an attack on our rangatiratanga and the move to bring it forward is yet another tactic to distract us from the real issues facing New Zealanders. This Bill is being advanced without us and in spite of us. ...3 weeks ago
- Unemployment Rising Shows The Need For A Plan
Wages are also reflecting the softer labour market, with 37% of all workers seeing no pay rise, and 50% of workers seeing an annual pay rise less than the 3.8% increase in household costs reported yesterday. With the minimum wage rising by less than ...3 weeks ago
- Unemployment Rate At 4.8 Percent
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, as measured by the Household Labour Force Survey, was 4.8 percent in the September 2024 quarter, compared with 4.6 percent in the previous quarter. ...3 weeks ago
- IRD Have Lied To New Zealanders, Heads Must Roll
...3 weeks ago
- IRD Data Leaking Killed By 9,000-strong Taxpayers’ Union Campaign
Commissioner Mersi needs to stop burying his head in the sand, and explain to Kiwis how his department are going to clean up the mess of the data they’ve already leaked: Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross said. ...3 weeks ago
- Govt Science Cuts Take NZ Even Further Backward
The Government talks about the need to tackle our poor productivity performance, and the need for a longer-term plan to arrest our decline, but their actions continue to take us in the opposite direction ...3 weeks ago
- Appalling Attack On Public Service Official By Minister Crosses The Line
"Publicly attacking a public servant for giving advice that you disagree with is unacceptable within our democratic system," said Kerry Davies, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. ...3 weeks ago
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