Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education
27 March 2015 Media Statement
Minister to attend fifth annual ISTP
Education Minister Hekia Parata will be departing for Canada today to attend the fifth International Summit on the
Teaching Profession (ISTP) accompanied by teachers, professionals and union leaders.
The Council of Ministers of Education Canada, the Learning Partnership, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development, and Education International are welcoming education ministers, union leaders and teaching experts from
countries with high-performing education systems to Banff on March 29 for the two day summit.
“ISTP has become one of the world’s most important forums for dialogue on education. As last year’s host nation, New
Zealand’s education system benefitted greatly from the hugely successful Summit,” says Ms Parata.
“This year we have implemented policies tailored for our country, such as communities of schools, informed by the robust
discussions and sharing of ideas about best teaching practice that we had at the 2014 Summit.
“I’m looking forward to sharing my reflections on last year’s summit, and to continuing the dialogue with the world’s
top performing nations in education so that we can further improve education policy and strengthen the qualities of
teaching practice in New Zealand, and find more ways to raise achievement for all Kiwi kids.
“The Summit is a great opportunity to hear about the education systems of other high-performing nations and I’m pleased
PPTA President Angela Roberts, NZEI President Louise Green, and NZPF President Denise Torrey have all accepted their
invitations to accompany me.”
Ms Parata will also speak at the Indigenous Education and the Teaching Profession seminar along with Hon Jackson
Lafferty, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for the Northwest Territories. The seminar will focus on sharing
best teaching practices within indigenous education.
She will also spend time in Vancouver with Hon Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education for British Columbia, where she
will also visit a school.