Principals Welcome Labour Commitment to Key Issues

Media release 7 July 2008

Principals Welcome Labour Commitment to Key Issues

The Minister of Education’s pledge to address the top five issues facing the nation’s principals has been welcomed by the New Zealand Principals’ Federation.

Speaking at the Federation’s annual conference in Christchurch on the weekend, the Hon Chris Carter announced Labour’s commitment to reviewing special needs funding, compliance overload and administrative and ICT resourcing.

In a survey of its members, the Federation, which represents primary and secondary principals working in more than 2500 communities throughout New Zealand, has identified five key issues that are impacting the education of the nation’s children.

Those five issues are:

- Administrative support so that principals can be more effective in their roles as professional leaders

- Special needs and behavioural issues delivery

- Adequate resourcing for ICT in schools

- Compliance overload

- Professional development for principals.

“These are the top 5 issues interrupting the education of our children and limiting the ability of our principals to be able to continue to provide the professional leadership that our schools need,” says NZPF President Paddy Ford.

“Labour’s commitment to address these issues is good news for our members, who have identified these as being the most critical to be addressed in our education system,” says Mr Ford.

ENDS

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