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Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the report from the Funding Advisory Group and acknowledged the finding that six out of seven of the Funding Review proposals should go forward for further work.

“This review is about putting our children and young people at the heart of the funding system, ensuring that students are getting the best support they can to achieve their full potential”, says Ms Parata.

Almost every state, state-integrated school and kura will receive a share of an extra $12.3 million to support students at risk of under achieving.

“This extra funding represents a 1 per cent increase to the $1.35 billion in operations grants funding for 2017,” says Education Minister Hekia Parata.

“So let’s be clear, there is no funding freeze.

More than half of New Zealand’s schools are now working together in Communities of Learning, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“An additional 31 Communities of Learning have now been approved, taking the total number of Communities of Learning to 148, and including more than half of the schools throughout the country,” says Ms Parata.

“This is fantastic news – these communities will bring together local schools and early learning services to help boost student achievement.”

A Year 12 student who wrote an essay in te reo Māori drawing on his experiences during a pilgrimage to war sites in Europe has won the Supreme Award in a school competition honouring the 28th (Māori) Battalion, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced

Education Minister Hekia Parata visited Carmel College in Auckland today to announce funding for new or expanded Asian language programmes at 63 schools across the country.

“Languages are an important tool for our young people to have as they venture out into the world,” says Ms Parata.

“I’m pleased to say that even more students will now have the opportunity to learn an Asian language, thanks to the Asian Language Learning in Schools (ALLiS) fund. A further $2.36 million is being provided from the fund to 63 schools who applied.”

Construction has started on a $4.5 million redevelopment at Takapuna Primary School on Auckland’s North Shore, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This investment will see a new, two-storey classroom block built, and adds to three other upgrades and redevelopments either announced for or currently underway on the North Shore,” says Ms Kaye.

“Construction work began in April on the $26 million redevelopment at Takapuna Grammar School, and just under a fortnight ago work started on a $4 million upgrade at Bayswater School.

Christchurch’s Waitākiri Primary School, one of the first post-earthquake merged schools to open, is congratulated by Education Minister Hekia Parata for an exceptional first Education Review Office (ERO) report.

“Despite the challenges involved in the merger and relocation, Waitākiri Primary School’s achievement rates have remained very positive which is recognised in their excellent report from ERO,” says Ms Parata.

The new site for Christchurch school Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery will be 177 St Asaph Street, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“The purchase of a new site means Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery, which was formed by the merger of inner city schools Discovery One and Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti but has been operating from temporary sites outside the inner city, can now return home to the CBD,” says Ms Kaye.

A further $6.6 million will be invested in the redevelopment of Kaiapoi High School in North Canterbury, on top of the $15.5 million already announced for the project, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This upscaling to a $22 million project reflects higher than expected roll growth at the school since the redevelopment was first announced,” says Ms Parata.

The biggest update to education in New Zealand in nearly 30 years was introduced in Parliament yesterday by Education Minister Hekia Parata.

“The Education (Update) Amendment Bill is about enabling schools to provide a flexible 21st century education focussed on the achievement of every young New Zealander, says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today officially launched the Education Review Office’s new school evaluation indicators which identify effective practices to achieve equity and excellence for all children.

“Achieving equity and excellence for every child and young person at school can be a challenge for our education system,” says Ms Parata.

“The insights that the indicators will provide schools will act as a catalyst for change so that every Kiwi kid can achieve educational success.”

Minister of Education Hekia Parata and Associate Minister of Health Peseta Sam Lotu-liga today welcomed the release of the 2016 edition of the New Zealand Autism Spectrum Guideline.

The Guideline, launched at the Autism New Zealand Conference held in Wellington, is based on the most up-to-date information available and aims to improve the health, education and social outcomes for people with autism.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today announced several initiatives to boost the number of teachers in high-demand subjects and locations.

“Right now we have enough overall numbers of teachers, but not necessarily in the areas or subjects that we need them in,” says Ms Parata. “That’s why we’re investing more than $9 million over four years to address teacher supply pressures.

Construction work has begun on a $4 million upgrade for Bayswater School on Auckland’s North Shore, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This project will deliver two new buildings comprising a total of six new learning spaces, and is one of several upgrades and redevelopments either announced for or underway on the North Shore,” says Ms Kaye.

“In April, I unveiled a plaque to mark construction getting underway on a $26 million redevelopment at Takapuna Grammar School.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today officially launched a new resource, including an app, to strengthen teaching and learning in reading, writing and maths.

“Being able to effectively evaluate a child’s rate of progress is essential for teachers, so they can identify where more support is required,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the Education Legislation Bill passing its second reading in Parliament, including two amendments.

“After the Bill was introduced to the House, the Government became aware of the need for two more amendments”, says Ms Parata.

“The Education and Science Select Committee received further submissions on the amendments from a number of organisations, and recommended the amendments be included in the Bill.”

The Government will invest around $3.7 million towards the redevelopment of Te Atatu Intermediate School in Auckland, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This redevelopment will see a new two-storey block built, containing six learning spaces,” says Ms Kaye.

Most of the new learning spaces are to address roll growth.

“Like schools in other parts of Auckland, Te Atatu Intermediate is experiencing growing rolls, with the number of students increasing from around 290 in 2012 to around 330 this year,” says Ms Kaye.

The Government will invest around $6.9 million to redevelop Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Taumarere in Northland, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This redevelopment will include new buildings as well as building upgrades, and will provide the kura with fantastic new facilities,” says Ms Parata.

The redevelopment will see:

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced five appointments to the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO.

Founded after the Second World War, UNESCO is the United Nations’ educational, scientific and cultural organisation.

 “I am delighted to appoint these five Commissioners. They are all respected experts in their fields and well positioned to advise and represent New Zealand on UNESCO matters”, says Ms Parata.

Tēnā koutou katoa, Kia orana, Taloha ni, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Talofa lava, Mālō e lelei, Ni sa bula vinaka, and greetings to you all.

First of all today, I wish to acknowledge our guest speakers: Professor Terry Scott, Susan Barrett, Louisa Barham and the Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and expertise with us. 

The Education Minister Hekia Parata has praised a programme that’s reducing challenging behaviour in ECEs and primary schools.

Speaking at the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) School-Wide Conference in Wellington, Ms Parata released the results of an evaluation of the Incredible Years Teacher Programme.

“More than 12,000 teachers, who work with children aged 3-8 years old, have completed the Incredible Years Programme since it was introduced in 2011.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today announced the extension and expansion of a ground-breaking teacher training programme to help strengthen and grow the teacher workforce.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has paid tribute to teachers, parents and students for the excellent rise in NCEA Level 2 achievement rates among 18-year-olds.

“The latest data shows that 51,299 18-year-olds (83.3 per cent) achieved NCEA Level 2 in 2015. That’s around 38,000 more young people achieving the minimum qualification for success than if the achievement rate had remained at the level it was when we came into Government in 2008,” says Ms Parata.

The information comes from 2015 Public Achievement Information (PAI) released today.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today opened one of two new learning hubs in the Whanganui region to inspire and enable young Māori to achieve their NCEA and plan for their future.

“This is an opportunity for Māori aged 16 to 18 years to get back on track, catch up or get ahead with their NCEA Level 2 qualification.

“I especially want to encourage young people who have already left school without NCEA level 2. It is not too late to access the support to enable you to achieve the skills and qualifications to succeed in life”.