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National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation In my last column, I wrote that current reforms in education constitute a threat to the integrity of our rich school curriculum. Our curriculum is special not just to us as professionals, but to the parents who partnered us in developing it. Together we claim ownership for its implementation. […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation New Zealand has a world class education system. Irrespec tive of challenges to the contrary from the Secretary for Education or the Minister herself, we remain world class by definition. Our children are placed by the OECD in the top seven countries in the world for their educational achievements. […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation The aftermath of Novopay will take years to forget. One of its lessons for all sectors must be the management by schools and the Ministry of Education, of banked staffing. Banked staffing was introduced to the sector by Trevor Mallard in 2001, to provide the flexibility of bulk funding, […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation Novopain Nightmare The last six months of school life have been dominated by the new teacher payroll, Novopay. There is not a tax payer in the country who isn’t wondering how something can go so badly wrong, and indeed whether it can ever be fixed. As one reporter said […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation When we plan the year ahead, the priorities for the NZPF non-ORS funding for special education. executive are largely determined by the feedback and concerns There were also concerns expressed around the RTLB service that are raised at our annual Moot. Moot is an interesting word model, with just […]
An Election Year Philip Harding National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation The grey-bearded wise ones who advise me have all been launch in 2015. quick to suggest that Wellington is great on a good day, and even Given the work that many schools have completed in recent better in an election year. In case you […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation The year is racing by and the recent national conference so wonderfully organised by Waikato’s principals, was an opportunity to share some ideas with colleagues on some future directions and pathways which might steer the profession through turbulent and challenging times. There is little to be served by discussing […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation The Education landscape is a little disjointed at the moment, and there is change coming from all directions. Some of the change comes via legislation, and the Surrender, Search, and Retention legislation is a good example of a law that has made things harder for schools. The Ministry responded […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation When the notion of a replacement for the NZ Teachers are doctors nominated by the Minister of Health, and four are Council was first mooted, a number of concerns were listed as lay people – that is NOT doctors. its rationale. The Education Amendment Bill No 2 makes no […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation When national standards were introduced, the do this at a national level with the right support. In the case of Government was very clear about their rationale. It was to address the MACs I acknowledge the support we have received from the the disproportionate number of Māori and Pacific […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation It is hard to credit where my last two years as your national comes on top of the challenges that have been highlighted at president have gone. Northland’s troubled Whangaruru Charter School. My time in Wellington started with the complete shambles When the looseness of the charter school model […]
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation As 2015 gets underway, I am hearing from many quarters that and as we grapple with our ever-increasing responsibilities, principals want a year in which they can be free to concentrate on compliance issues and community expectations we are becoming helping their children realise their learning goals, strengthening more […]
