NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels is urging the government to listen to the voices of educators who see the value of local empowerment everyday as public submissions on the Education and Training (System Reform) Bill close today.
“The proposed legislation will centralise control of our education system and move decision-making powers away from the communities schools serve,” says Mrs Lessels. “It will politicise education and undermine the teaching profession – the exact opposite of what high-performing education systems do.
“The shift towards a more centralised model also risks neglecting the unique needs of diverse school communities that educators and boards of trustees currently navigate to support their students effectively.”
Mrs Lessels said the potential erosion of efforts towards educational equity was of particular concern.
“By prioritising bureaucratic oversight over the equitable outcomes for our tamariki, the bill risks undermining initiatives designed to close achievement gaps for Māori, Pasifika, and students with additional learning needs.
“The rushed timeframe has also provided insufficient time for meaningful public consultation,” she added.
ENDS