Monday 27 May 2019
New figures on Ministry of Education interventions in public schools published by the New Zealand Herald confirm there are more pressing needs in education than the Tomorrow’s Schools Taskforce’s radical $2 billion
bureaucratic Hub proposal, the Community Schools Alliance says.
“These figures confirm that at any time, a small number of schools, around 4%, may require targeted assistance from
government to meet financial or educational standards,” said Massey High School Principal Glen Denham, a spokesman for
the Community Schools Alliance. “Most of these interventions are very short-term, lasting two years or less.”
“The Community Schools Alliance supports more funding for targeted interventions to help schools that need it, rather
than an expensive permanent bureaucracy interfering in the majority of schools that are doing perfectly well.”
“The Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has said there is no more money for teacher pay claims, but he has not ruled
out spending between $2 billion and $4 billion setting up the bureaucratic Hubs recommended by the Tomorrow’s Schools
Taskforce.”
“All the research shows that what makes a difference to student outcomes is quality teaching and school leadership. That
is where the government should be directing any increases in education funding, where it would make an immediate and
real difference.”
“There is no evidence that increasing spending on bureaucracy – no matter how many billions of dollars - improves
outcomes for students or parents.”
The Education Review Office told schools in April that 96% of learners are in schools which ERO has found to be sound,
and that “nearly a quarter of these schools were found to be ‘strong’, covering 35% of all learners”.
It also reported that interventions are effective, and becoming more so with new wraparound services. The New Zealand
Herald profiles decile 1 Kāingaroa Forest School, as an example of a school that managed to turn around significant
issues with health and safety and enrolment with the help of a Limited Statutory Manager who shared the school’s values.
Note for editors: The Community Schools Alliance is a group of 46 primary and secondary schools and kura, from deciles 1
to 10, from throughout New Zealand who have come together to advocate for the continued community leadership of public
and state integrated schools. The current members are:
Whanganui Collegiate School
Westlake Boys’ High School
Wakaaranga School
Waitakere College
Te Kura Māori Motuhake o Tāwhiiuau
Taieri College
St Peter’s College
St Paul’s College Auckland
St John's College Hastings
St Dominic's Catholic Primary School
South Auckland Middle School
Sancta Maria College
Sacred Heart College
Rotorua Boys' High School
Rangitoto College
Pigeon Mountain Primary School
Palmerston North Boys’ High School
Owairoa Primary School
Otahuhu College
One Tree Hill College
Northland College
Northern Southland College
Murray's Bay Intermediate
Mt Hobson Middle School
Mt Eden Normal Primary School
Mt Albert Grammar
Middle School West Auckland
Maungawhau School
Massey High School
Marist College
Macleans College
Liston College
Kohia Terrace School
King’s High School
John Paul College
James Hargest College
Hutt International Boys' School
Hora Hora Primary School
Hamilton Boys’ High School
De La Salle
Chanel College
Campbells Bay Primary
Bucklands Beach Intermediate
Baradene College
Auckland Normal Intermediate
Auckland Grammar
www.communityschools.nz
facebook.com/CommunitySchoolsNZ
twitter: @nzschools
ends