Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed an OECD study that has found New Zealand teachers are among the world’s most professional.

The Teaching and Learning International Study (TALIS) ranked New Zealand teachers fourth out of 35 participating countries, behind the Russian Federation, Estonia and Singapore.

“This is great news, and a real bouquet for our teachers,” says Ms Parata.

In New Zealand the study looked at more than 2800 Year 7-10 teachers and their principals at primary, intermediate and secondary schools.  

The new $10.2 million Marshland School was officially opened in Christchurch today by Education Minister Hekia Parata.

The new school includes a block of four learning studios and a multi-purpose hall, library and community space. It also has three new playgrounds.

“Marshland School’s innovative learning environment will be an inspiring space for kids to learn in new and exciting ways,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today officially opened the new $13.6 million Rāwhiti School in Christchurch.

Rawhiti School was a merger between Central New Brighton, North New Brighton and Freeville Schools and the new school buildings will accommodate up to 600 students. The new school includes six flexible learning studios and a multi-purpose hall, library and community space.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today launched a new initiative aimed at supporting at-risk students to stay and succeed at school.

Based in the wider Gisborne region, Year 9 Plus will assist some of the most at-risk young people by focussing the right support at the right time.

“Year 9 Plus will make sure that students who may previously have dropped out of school are supported to continue their education,” says Ms Parata.

A new initiative to boost the mānuka honey industry in Northland and provide educational and employment opportunities has been launched today at Northland College by Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell,  Education Minister Hekia Parata and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

The Mānuka Planting Initiative at Northland College is part of the Tai Tokerau Northland Economic Action Plan which was launched this morning.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has wished children and young people well as they prepare to pick up their school bags and head to school this week.

“I hope kids are feeling full of beans after the summer break and looking forward to the challenges of a new year. We’re expecting just over three-quarters of a million students to return to school or start school this week.

Education Minister Hekia Parata, together with Parliamentary Under-Secretary David Seymour, has terminated the agreement under which the Ngā Parirau Mātauranga Charitable Trust runs a partnership school at Whangaruru in Northland.

Ms Parata informed the trust of her decision on Tuesday.

“Significant progress has been made in addressing the governance and management issues that caused me to issue the Trust with a performance notice in February.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata have congratulated the twelve New Zealanders who are recipients of New Year’s Honours for their services to education.

“I’d like to congratulate the 2016 recipients for the valuable contribution they’ve made to education in New Zealand and internationally,” Mr Joyce says. “It’s great to see some of the best being honoured for their services.”

Education Minister Hekia Parata has advised the Ngā Parirau Mātauranga Charitable Trust that she proposes to terminate the agreement under which it runs a partnership school at Whangaruru.

Ms Parata, who met with the board on Tuesday, says a specialist audit conducted in October shows the current board has made significant progress in addressing the governance and management issues that caused her to issue the trust with a performance notice in February.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says she is delighted so many members of the public have taken the opportunity to have their say on the future of education.

When submissions on the proposed update of the Education Act closed last night 1814 submissions had been received.

The Government intends to build and maintain six new schools around New Zealand using a public private partnership (PPP), Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“A public private procurement model is an innovative and proven way to spend taxpayer money efficiently,” says Ms Parata.

“It offers the significant advantage of having professional facilities managers take care of school property, freeing up schools to focus on teaching and learning.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says six new research projects granted funding for the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative will benefits teachers and students for years to come.

Ms Parata has congratulated this year’s recipients of the fund, which has supported 125 high calibre projects since it began in 2003. 

“A lot of this research is focussed on improving outcomes for all students, no matter their backgrounds,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says parents, school boards, students and home-based early childhood education providers will all benefit from the increased flexibility proposed by the Education Legislation Bill, which had its first reading today.

Students are to be given the chance to earn NCEA credits by obtaining driver licences, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss announced today.

“Too many young people are missing out on jobs because they don’t have a licence and too many others are entering the courts system because they are driving without licences,” says Ms Parata.

With a week to go until submissions close, Education Minister Hekia Parata  is encouraging all those with an interest in education to have say on the update of the 1989 Education Act.

“Already 356 submissions have been received and I’m expecting to see many more in the coming days. The Act sets the legislative framework for education and it is vital that it is creates an environment that helps all children and young people to succeed educationally,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today released the findings of 156 Special Education Update engagement forums held by the Ministry of Education with over 3,650 people across New Zealand, including parents, families and educators.

Ms Parata also released an action plan that outlines how the Ministry will work with others to improve both frontline services and its sector support and stewardship.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today congratulated Blenheim’s 18 primary schools, one intermediate and two high schools on becoming the first Community of Learning to agree on the achievement challenges that will drive collaboration between the schools.

“Blenheim has been the first region in the country to step up to the collaboration challenge and I want to acknowledge its leadership and the enthusiasm that this reflects,” says Ms Parata.

Marlborough Boys’ and Girls’ Colleges are to be co-located on a new site in   a development costing up to $63 million that will equip them with state-of-the-art buildings and technology, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Co-locating the two schools on one site will enable them to share specialist facilities and strengthen the opportunities for collaboration between two key members of Blenheim’s newly-formed Community of Learning,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says the Education Legislation Bill 2015 introduced today will amend eight statutes to improve administrative and governance arrangements for educational entities and funding organisations across the education sector.

Ms Parata says the Bill includes several improvements already signalled by the Government, as well as aligning the law with modern language and practices.

Such changes include allowing schools to change their opening hours with the agreement of their community.

A brand new Trades Academy will open in Southland next year, meaning secondary school students in every region of the country will now have the opportunity to gain practical skills while studying towards NCEA credits

Education Minister Hon Hekia Parata has announced that Turakina Māori Girls’ College will close on 27 January 2016.

The decision follows a second round of consultation about the state-integrated Presbyterian Māori girls’ boarding school during which two submissions were received.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has made an interim decision to close Redcliffs School in Christchurch because of ongoing concern about the unstable cliff behind the school.

“I know this isn’t the decision some had hoped for,” says Ms Parata. “However, I have considered the submissions, including expert advice, and I remain concerned about the potential for future disruption to education provision if the school returns to the Main Road site.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata have welcomed a new report showing that New Zealand invests a larger portion of its public spending in education than all but a handful of other OECD countries.

Education At a Glance 2015, which was released overnight, shows that New Zealand ranks in the top two OECD countries for expenditure on both school and tertiary education as a percentage of total public expenditure.

A Centre for Education Leadership Excellence is to be established to build leadership across the education system, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

The centre will be established by the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, the newly formed professional body for teachers, and will be partially funded by the Ministry of Education which is contributing $250,000 to its set-up costs. Its initial focus will be the principals who have been selected to lead the new Communities of Learning established to foster systematic collaboration across the education system.