Displaying 1 - 24 of 93 results.

Education Minister Anne Tolley says that Hastings is to benefit from an ECE funding boost to help increase participation in early childhood education.

$91.8 million is being invested in target areas across the country, to make 3500 more ECE places available, particularly for Maori and Pasifika children, and children from low socio-economic communities.

“Far too many children are currently missing out on early childhood education, and we are focused on giving them the best possible start to their education before they start primary school,” says Mrs Tolley.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley says the Government is investing $1.4 million to help build new early childhood education services in South Auckland, which will create another 211 ECE places for families.

Two new services and three extensions to existing services will be built in areas of high need in Weymouth West, Papakura North and Mt Wellington South.

The property funding is part of the Government’s $91.8 million investment in intensive participation projects in high priority areas, which is creating 3500 more ECE places.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley says the Government is set to invest $6 million in establishing a new secondary school in Kawerau, to provide modern learning environments and help boost student achievement.

The new year 7-13 school will provide excellent 21st Century facilities for students in new and refurbished buildings on the current Kawerau College site, with separate campuses for middle and senior school students.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley says Paerau School in Central Otago is to remain open following a final decision on its future.

Consultation on its possible closure had taken place after the roll had fallen to just two students.

The school roll has now increased to 10 students, helped by community support to keep families in the rural area.

“I needed to make sure this boost in numbers wasn’t temporary, and that there wouldn’t be another drastic roll drop, before making a final decision,” says Mrs Tolley.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced the eight secondary schools around New Zealand which have successfully bid to open new Service Academies in 2012.

It follows new funding of $63.1 million in Budget 2011 to expand the number of Service Academies and Trades Academies, to provide more opportunities for young people to access skills training while earning worthwhile qualifications, free of charge.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced over $5 million in funding to support five schools to replace seven classroom blocks, in the latest example of the Government’s commitment to upgrade and modernise school buildings.

More than 500 major building modernisation projects have already been completed, including over 270 new classrooms and gyms and more than 140 libraries, halls and administration blocks.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has wished students the best of luck for this year’s NCEA exams which get underway tomorrow.

More than 143,000 candidates are preparing for the NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams, which continue until 30 November.

“The Government is ambitious for every single New Zealand student,” says Mrs Tolley.

“I know students all over the country are studying hard, and I want to wish them all the very best of luck in the days ahead,” says Mrs Tolley.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has welcomed the release of an Education Review Office evaluation of Service Academies, which shows improved engagement, behaviour and academic achievement for the secondary school students enrolled in this important Youth Guarantee initiative.

The evaluation also found improvements in health and fitness levels at the military-focused academies, which offer courses such as leadership and outdoor education, while students work towards achieving at least NCEA Level 1 literacy and numeracy.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education
  • Education Review Office

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced that a dedicated nationwide online network for New Zealand schools will be developed, to ensure that teaching and learning is at the forefront of global educational developments and makes the most of new technology.

The safe, secure system, called the Network for Learning, is estimated to cost between $300 -$400 million over the next 10 years, and will provide high-quality educational content and resources to schools and students, to help lift achievement for young New Zealanders wherever they are across the country.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley says a decision on the integration of Wanganui Collegiate School into the state system has been deferred until August 2012.

“I need to be satisfied that the school is able to meet the strict criteria to be allowed to integrate," says Mrs Tolley.

“I am aware of the importance of the school to the Wanganui and wider region, and in the meantime I have agreed that financial assistance can be provided should the school need it, but under certain conditions.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has welcomed the release of an Education Review Office evaluation of Service Academies, which shows improved engagement, behaviour and academic achievement for the secondary school students enrolled in this important Youth Guarantee initiative.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education
  • Education Review Office

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā hau e whā. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Good afternoon - thank you for inviting me to speak to you today.

I just want to start by acknowledging the work of the PPTA, particularly your president Robin Duff. Robin and I have enjoyed a constructive working relationship over the last 12 months, which has given the PPTA a strong voice.

I also want to praise the entire education sector in Canterbury for the way you all responded to the devastating earthquakes.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley says the Government is moving to end the variability of quality in early childhood education (ECE) services and give better information to parents.

It comes as the Minister announces the first steps in the Government’s response to the ECE Taskforce report, which received more than 4000 submissions during a two-month consultation period.

“The ECE Taskforce emphasised the benefits of high-quality early childhood education for young children’s learning and development,” says Mrs Tolley.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced the next step in the Government’s work to attract high-calibre candidates into teaching as a career.

“Effective teaching has the biggest impact on results for students, and this starts with recruiting high-quality teachers,” says Mrs Tolley.

“We are concentrating on recruiting quality New Zealand candidates into teaching, in a targeted approach which will focus on maths and science teaching, alongside Maori medium, bilingual education and specialist secondary teachers of te reo Maori.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Claims made on Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report and repeated by Labour’s education spokesperson about Ministry of Education Student Achievement Practitioners are completely false, says Education Minister Anne Tolley.

The practitioners have been appointed to help schools put plans in place to accelerate student progress and lift student achievement, as the Government addresses the fact that one in five children are not gaining the reading, writing and maths skills that they need.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

The roll out of ultra fast broadband-enabling fibre to schools is progressing well and will see nearly 100,000 students at 221 schools around the country connected by July next of year, says Education Minister Anne Tolley and Communications and IT Minister Steven Joyce.

The Ministers were commenting following the release today of details of the first 200 schools to be connected by Chorus, one of the Crown’s four partners for the UFB rollout. 

  • Anne Tolley
  • Steven Joyce
  • Communications and Information Technology
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced $1 million of funding for new scholarship awards for Year 13 Christchurch students whose plans for tertiary study may have been affected by the recent earthquakes.

The Canterbury Earthquake Scholarships will provide $2,000 each year for three years of study for 160 students.

“This additional financial support will help students take on tertiary study after what has been a traumatic time,” says Mrs Tolley.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education
  • Earthquake Recovery

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced that communities and the education sector in Canterbury are to have the opportunity to take part in consultation on the future of education in the area following the recent earthquakes.

The feedback received will contribute to a draft Education Renewal Plan for greater Christchurch.

“Our challenge is to develop a bold and creative plan for the future of the education network,” says Mrs Tolley.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Earthquake Recovery

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced four further support days for secondary school teachers, as they implement the new curriculum-aligned achievement standards for NCEA Levels one, two and three over the next two years.

Two teacher-only professional development days will be provided to schools in 2012, with two further teacher-only days available in 2013. These are in addition to the two professional support days which have already been announced for 2011.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley says that the movement of students away from Christchurch and within the city since the February earthquake will result in a redistribution of resources for schools.

3500 students from Christchurch remain enrolled in schools outside the city, while over 1500  students have  moved to different schools within Christchurch.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education
  • Earthquake Recovery

Education Minister Anne Tolley has welcomed the return of Shirley Boys’ High School to its original site in Christchurch, after 26  weeks of site-sharing following the February earthquake.

From tomorrow, 1300 Shirley Boys’ High students will be able to return to their home site, which suffered significant damage and liquefaction.

The Government has invested $2 million in repairing the site, making five damaged blocks safe and bringing in eight relocatable classrooms to replace the administration block and library which remain unusable.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education
  • Earthquake Recovery

Education Minister Anne Tolley says the development of new vocational pathways for senior secondary students is making good progress, as the Government improves the transition from education to employment.

The routes for NCEA level 1 and 2 students will provide young people with a clear map of the subjects they need to study, and qualifications needed, for their chosen career.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced the ten new Trades Academies which are to open around New Zealand from 2012, providing practical skills training for secondary school students while allowing them to study for NCEA credits and tertiary qualifications.

The number of fees-free places for 16 and 17 year olds will increase to 2000 in 21 Trades Academies from next year, as the Government focuses on young people at risk of disengaging from education, and making them better-prepared for the workplace and further education.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced that Christchurch is to have a new Trades Academy, and that student places are to more than treble at the existing Academy in the city.

Following applications from across New Zealand, the National Trade Academy in Christchurch has been selected as one of ten new providers to support secondary school students at risk of disengaging from education. Students will develop practical skills for the workplace, while gaining credits towards NCEA and a tertiary qualification.

  • Anne Tolley
  • Education
  • Earthquake Recovery