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The settlement of legal action by the Ministry of Education against two New Zealand subsidiaries of James Hardie over weather-tightness of school buildings is good news for the future of New Zealand schools, says Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

“This settlement represents a win-win situation for both parties and I’m very pleased to see it reached,” Ms Kaye says.

The Ministry and James Hardie have agreed to a settlement that includes mutually beneficial terms to the supply of certain James Hardie products.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye said today that the Ministry of Education’s Infrastructure Service team has been shortlisted for a global risk management award.

The London-based Institute of Risk Management, with members in over 100 countries, has shortlisted the Ministry of Education in the category of Delivering Value through Risk Management.

“I congratulate the Ministry on being short-listed for the Global Risk Awards 2014,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says Christchurch students just shy of achieving NCEA Level 2 will have the opportunity to gain the credits they need to get the qualification through a Ministry of Education-funded summer school.

The Ministry has contracted Hagley Community College to run a summer day school from 20 to 31 January 2014 and a summer evening school from 3 to 14 February 2014.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows today announced the expansion of education services in youth justice residences, to provide on-going education over the summer break.

Up until now, schools at residences followed the standard term breaks of any other school. Now, there will be structured educational programmes except for two weeks over Christmas.

Results from the first end of year pay for schools show the good progress that has been made this year in stabilising Novopay, Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce says.

The Government today released the report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 19 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 19, which was the largest school pay of the year, paid 92,086 people a total of $221.89 million on the morning of 11 December.

Today, Education Minister Hekia Parata hosted the NZSTA National Board Members and Regional Chairs to thank them for the support they have provided to school boards of trustees throughout the year.

“NZSTA has played an important part in supporting boards across the country to deliver on the Government’s relentless focus of raising student achievement,” says Ms Parata.

Today, Education Minister Hekia Parata met with Christchurch’s mayor Hon Lianne Dalziel to brief her on the 10 year programme of restoring and renewing schools in greater Christchurch following the earthquakes.

“This was a great opportunity to go through the details of the Government’s investment in 115 greater Christchurch schools set out in the final Business Case released in November,” says Ms Parata.

That includes:

Education Minister Hekia Parata met with the Phillipstown Board of Trustees and Principal today to further discuss the on-going consultation process on the proposed merger with Woolston, following the High Court ruling on the judicial review brought by Phillipstown.

The managed wind-down of Learning Media has been completed, Finance Minister Bill English and Education Minister Hekia Parata say.

“The Learning Media board has managed the wind down in a way that provided certainty of provision for publications such as the School Journal, as well as ensuring staff were treated fairly,” Mr English says.

Results of an international study show New Zealand is continuing to perform above the OECD average in reading, maths and science but has slipped against some countries, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

The 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, which is carried out every three years, compares the performance of just over half a million 15-year-olds from 65 countries or economies across reading literacy, maths and science.

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 18 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 18, which was paid on the morning of 27 November, paid 89,785 people a total of $176.64 million.

The report shows that complaints and notifications were received regarding 0.079 per cent of staff across the country, eight staff were notified as not paid, 38 were overpaid, and 25 underpaid. Affected staff were from 62 schools or 2.53 per cent of schools in the payroll system.

Education Minister Hekia Parata is pleased with a recent report showing a programme to address problem behaviour in schools is getting positive results for students across New Zealand.

“In Budget 2013, this Government invested a further $63.5 million over four years to the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) initiative,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced a review of the Ministry of Education’s Professional Learning and Development (PLD) expenditure in the schooling sector.

“The Government invests more than $70 million each year in PLD to improve the skills of our teachers and education leaders. However, the long-term level of underachievement in our education system will not be shifted by doing what we have always done,” Ms Parata says.

Education Minister Hekia Parata met with her counterpart, Hon Christopher Pyne, Federal Minister for Education for Australia today at the Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood Education in Sydney.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the Government will spend more than $31 million over the next three years to accelerate Māori secondary school student achievement, under the new Building on Success programme.

Speaking at the Iwi Chairs Forum in Gisborne, Ms Parata said Building on Success would extend the great progress made through the current Māori achievement programmes, including Te Kotahitanga, He Kākano and Starpath.

The Government is providing $10.5 million in additional funding for schools to raise student achievement in maths and science, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Boosting the skills and achievement of our young people in maths and science are essential for their future careers and for New Zealand’s economic growth and prosperity,” Mr Joyce says.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the Science and Society project, a unique joint education-science sector plan to lift engagement and achievement in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) across New Zealand.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today released information on the educational performance and outcomes of Pasifika students, from early childhood education through to NCEA.

“The information delivers on my commitment to provide public metrics on education performance, so that parents and the wider community know where success is occurring but just as importantly where we can work together to lift achievement,” Ms Parata says.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced Massey Primary in Auckland is the first to connect to the Network for Learning (N4L) managed network.

“Today we are celebrating a significant day for New Zealand schools, as Massey Primary is the first to take advantage of the $211 million that this Government is investing in the managed network,’’ Ms Parata says.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced three new members and three reappointments to the Careers New Zealand Board, and welcomed the release of the results of the Crown Entity’s Performance Improvement Framework (PIF) review.

"I am appointing a current member of the Board, Dale Karauria, as the Chair of the Board, who brings governance and strategy experience to the role, and a detailed understanding of the pathways from education to work,” Ms Parata says.

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced a second Partnership Schools | Kura Hourua application round to continue the impetus for raising achievement for all children and young people.

“In education, one size doesn’t fit all. Partnership Schools provide further options for young people and their families, giving them the choice of the type of education that best suits their own specific learning needs,” Ms Parata says.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced that Murupara Area School would be included in the Government’s major school development funding initiative.

“While detailed costs are yet to be finalised, at least $10 million will be committed to redevelop and extend the Murupara school site to upgrade infrastructure, remediate facilities and accommodate an extended roll and curriculum,” Ms Kaye says.

More than 90 per cent of schools have now entered their pay data for the end of the school year via an upgraded version of Novopay Online, Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce says.

“By the close of Monday – the deadline for inputting end of year payments – 91 per cent or 2228 schools had completed that process. That compares to just 45 per cent or 1112 schools at the same time last year and is also above the average of past years under the previous provider,” Mr Joyce says.

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the reports on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Periods 16 and 17 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 16, which was paid on the morning of 30 October, paid 88,766 people a total of $173.6 million.

The report shows that complaints and notifications were received regarding 0.084 per cent of staff across the country, 11 staff were notified as not paid, 34 were overpaid, and 26 underpaid. Affected staff were from 58 schools or 2.36 per cent of schools in the payroll system.