Section
Commentary, critique, and advocacy from voices across the New Zealand education sector.
This section publishes opinion pieces on curriculum reform, education policy, equity, standardisation, political change, and the lived realities of school leadership. Contributors include principals, academics, sector commentators, and federation leadership writing in their own voice — not necessarily reflecting NZPF policy. Topics range from the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill to school culture, staff wellbeing, and the place of equity in curriculum design. Use this section to engage with the debates shaping education in Aotearoa, sharpen your own thinking on contested issues, and hear how colleagues are responding to the political and curricular pressures on schools.
Since Waitangi we have been flying Tino Rangatiratanga at my kura. Every day 8 year old Reade Murrie raises a flag on our school flagpole. We have done our research and we know that we need to ensure that we give equal mana to our New Zealand flag and Tino Rangatiratanga. For Reade and his […]
I still recall the excitement of my first encounter with interactive communication via the internet. It was the late 1980s. I was studying a ‘Computers in Education’ course at Massey University for my BA degree course. Dr Ken Ryber, the Course Controller, was an enthusiast for technology that expedited interactive learning opportunities for differently abled […]
Writing this piece in early October, I can only guess the outcome of the General Election. By the time you read it, you may well be already despairing about what our political leaders have in mind for education, particularly primary education, over the next three years. Let me briefly share your concern and then perhaps […]
Last year I wrote a column in this magazine with the title ‘And so it begins’. Drawing on Opposition Leader Chris Luxon’s public comments at the time, I argued that National would likely announce some kind of education policy heavily centred on standards, testing and accountability before the next election. I suggested that whatever would […]
The National Party recently announced its education policy. The Otago Daily Times (27 March, 2023) aptly titled this play and ploy as tossing the education football! This is nothing new. Back in 1998 then leader of the party, Jennifer Shipley, boldly proclaimed that ‘by 2005 every child turning 9 will be able to read, write […]
Stepping out of my comfort zone . . . Helen Kinsey-Wightman Whilst my Te Reo me o ngā tikanga Māori journey began morning and late night waka drills, makes me certain that the with the birth of my son Manu in 2010, my 1 year sabbatical at reason Māori students underachieve in NZ education is […]
thrupp@waikato.ac.nz Former Minister of Education Hekia Parata is reputed to have once said in a meeting, ‘If anyone tries to tell me one more time about Finland’s education system I’m going to scream!’ The story may be apocryphal, but it speaks to the frustration of many politicians, policymakers, principals and teachers around the globe when […]
My 12 year old son reads beautifully in both his languages but never picks up a book out of choice. Just before the holidays a colleague mentioned they were considering Pōrangi Boy by Shilo Kino as a new text. The book is about Niko, a 12 year old Northland boy and his relationship with his […]
A children’s health report (TV1 News, 22 June 2022) uncovered alarming rates of poor dental health for 40 per cent of our country’s five-year-olds. The research was undertaken by ‘Cure Kids’, New Zealand’s largest charitable funder of medical and scientific research for children’s health. The report testifies that, ‘ . . . it partnered with the […]
Forming, storming, norming . . . Helen Kinsey-Wightman It was great watching our students having fun at their ball last week. It has been a long road back to some semblance of normality for this year’s Y13. Watching our Y13 Dean greeting students with genuine warmth saw me appreciating the relationships that are built within […]
thrupp@waikato.ac.nz This column is about what I see as the significant responsibility problem. A skilled teacher can do a lot to make any topic of principals to influence the balance of the curriculum taught palatable but teacher education programmes have become in schools. It seems almost audacious shorter and teachers are poorly prepared to write […]
Over the last 4 months, I have singlehandedly sold a house, moved a 10 hour drive away from most of my friends, lived in my campervan, started a new job, bought a new house and begun the process of integrating into a new community. Life is good! My new school is an Area school just […]
