Education Minister Nikki Kaye has welcomed the passing of a Bill that puts the achievement of children and young people at the heart of the education system, and provides the flexibility to respond to their current and future needs.
“The biggest reform to education in nearly thirty years was significantly boosted today with the passing of the third and final reading of the Education (Update) Amendment Bill,” says Ms Kaye.
Education Minister Nikki Kaye today attended a site blessing at Kelburn Normal School in Wellington to mark the start of an $8.5 million redevelopment project.
“Kelburn Normal School has a long history, being over 100 years old, so it was great to visit today to celebrate the start of an important new chapter in the school’s history,” says Ms Kaye.
“The work about to get underway will address a range of building and site issues, and create an exciting new learning environment for students,” says Ms Kaye.
New partnerships with Netball NZ and 24-7 Youthwork Trust will see $260,000 invested to create up to 800 new youth development opportunities, Youth Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.
“These opportunities are about inspiring and growing the next generation of leaders and also supporting them to give back to the community,” says Ms Kaye.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Education Minister Nikki Kaye have today welcomed the released updated physical activity guidelines for children and young people aged five to 17.
“Children and young people are encouraged to live an active lifestyle. To sit less, move more and sleep well to support their healthy development,” says Dr Coleman.
“The guidelines include new sleep recommendations as well as updated advice on regular physical activity and reducing sitting time.
Associate Minister of Education Louise Upston has today officially opened Rangiora High School’s new $14.9 million facilities.
“Today marks a significant milestone in the redevelopment of Rangiora High School to support the delivery of innovative teaching and meet the future needs of its community,” Ms Upston says.
Fourteen finalists representing 10 early learning services, schools and kura have been chosen from 142 entries in the prestigious 2017 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards, Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.
“I want to congratulate all the finalists on getting this far,” says Ms Kaye.
“It’s a huge achievement meaning they have demonstrated excellence in education to the panel of education experts.”
Ten senior students will get the opportunity to join the 100th anniversary commemorations of the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium later this year, as part of a competition for schools and kura, Education Minister Nikki Kaye and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Maggie Barry announced today.
“The national competition, for senior students aged 16 to 19, has been organised by the Ministry of Education with partners and sponsors the Fields of Remembrance Trust and the Passchendaele Society,” says Ms Kaye.
Education Minister Nikki Kaye was delighted to attend a sod turning ceremony this morning to mark the start of the redevelopment of Grey Lynn School in Auckland.
“This project is about modernising the school’s ageing facilities and also ensuring it has capacity to accommodate expected roll growth,” says Ms Kaye.
The investment of around $15 million will deliver 14 new teaching spaces, including six roll growth and eight replacement classrooms, as well as new library and administration facilities and a multi-purpose hall.
Education Minister Nikki Kaye will officially open two new modular classrooms at Henderson Valley School in West Auckland this morning.
She will also visit Peninsula Primary School in Te Atatu, to see the first of several new modular classrooms that have been delivered to the school.
“We’re steadily upgrading and replacing ageing school infrastructure across New Zealand, as well as building new classrooms in areas where there’s sustained, long-term population growth,” says Ms Kaye.
Former Hamilton Boys’ High School student Christopher Mayo was presented with the Prime Minister’s Award for Academic Excellence by Education Minister Nikki Kaye this morning, at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority’s annual Top Scholar Awards ceremony held at Parliament.
The Top Scholar awards recognise the top achieving students from the most recent New Zealand Scholarship examinations.
Budget 2017 invests an extra $68.8 million over four years to support vulnerable children and their families, say Minister for Children Anne Tolley and Education Minister Nikki Kaye.
This is part of the Government’s $321 million Social Investment Package announced by Prime Minister Bill English today.
The package includes:
The history of the 28th Māori Battalion’s D Company will be documented by Harawira Craig Pearless, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry have announced.
Ms Parata, who is also the Chair of the Ngārimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board, says the A, B, and D companies’ histories are being commissioned to complement Ngā Tama Toa, the C Company history published in 2008.
Around $500,000 will be invested to build two new teaching spaces at Witherlea School in Blenheim, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.
“The roll at Witherlea School has been growing and this is expected to continue, so today’s investment will help the school accommodate this growth,” says Ms Kaye.
“We’re committed to providing extra capacity at schools in areas where there’s sustained population growth.
Māori medium national peak bodies Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust, Te Rūnanganui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori, Ngā Kura ā Iwi, Te Akatea, and iwi representatives have been given a call to action today as Education Minister Hon Hekia Parata launches a strategy to future-proof Māori medium education.
Educators and iwi gathered at a Hui in Wellington for discussions on Te Rāngai Kāhui Ako ā-Iwi, a framework provided to iwi to ensure the future sustainability of Maori-medium education and build on the recent successes of Māori educational achievement.
Around $1.2 million will be invested to build three additional classrooms at Omokoroa Point School in Tauranga, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.
“Tauranga is one of New Zealand’s fastest growing locations, and we’re committed to providing extra capacity there to meet growing school rolls,” says Ms Kaye.
“Omokoroa Point School is situated in a fabulous part of the country, overlooking Tauranga Harbour, Matakana Island and the Kaimai Ranges.
Around $900,000 will be invested to provide Waikanae School with two new modular classrooms, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.
“Waikanae School has experienced steady growth over the past three years, and we expect this trend to continue,” says Ms Kaye.
“In areas of New Zealand where there’s sustained, long-term population growth, we’re committed to increasing the capacity of schools to accommodate growing rolls.”
Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced three appointments to the Board of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura).
“Te Kura is a fantastic option for distance education, providing personalised learning programmes to students from early childhood to Year 13.
“I am delighted to see Dr Stuart Middleton staying on for a further term, and would like to welcome the newly appointed Ruma Karaitiana and Mele Wendt as members of Te Kura’s Board for terms of three years,” Ms Parata says.
Final NCEA results released this week confirm that more students are achieving NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3, with the most significant increases in achievement being by Māori students and Pasifika students, says Education Minister Hekia Parata.
“These latest results are by far the best we’ve seen since we came into Government in 2008, a time when Māori and Pasifika students were struggling, with almost half leaving school without NCEA Level 2.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Education Minister Hekia Parata have welcomed the appointment of Professor Grant Schofield, as the Ministry of Education’s first Chief Education Health and Nutrition Advisor.
“Obesity is a serious issue threatening the health of young New Zealanders, which means some of our kids could end up living shorter lives than their parents,” says Dr Coleman.
“In 2014/15 11 per cent of all children aged 2-14 years were obese. The figures for Maori and Pacific children were 15 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.
Education Minister Hekia Parata has today released the update of New Zealand’s world leading early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki.
“First published in 1996, Te Whāriki is highly regarded here and internationally as an empowering framework for early learning,” says Ms Parata.
“New Zealand children start their education in quality settings, guided by a curriculum that supports teachers, parents and whānau to have a good understanding of their progress.”
The biggest update to education in New Zealand in nearly 30 years took a step forward in Parliament today.
“The Education (Update) Amendment Bill is about creating a platform for achieving educational success. It puts the achievement of our children and young people at the heart of the education system, and gives us the flexibility to respond to their current and future needs,” says Education Minister Hekia Parata.
Education Minister Hekia Parata has launched the first regional tour of an education expo showcasing tools and resources available to Communities of Learning | Kahui Ako.
“For the first time we have brought together all the tools and resources available to support teachers and principals in one expo,” says Ms Parata.
“The education expo first ran at the National Cross Sector Forum in Auckland in March and we received really positive feedback from participants who attended.”
New figures show more than 1100 teachers and principals have been appointed to new roles in Communities of Learning│Kāhui Ako across the country.
“I’m delighted to see staff being employed in these expert roles, sharing best practice across schools, early learning services and tertiary providers to raise student achievement,” says Education Minister Hekia Parata.
Around $1.6 million will be invested to provide three additional classrooms at St Leonard’s Road School in Kelston, Auckland, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.
“This is part of our ongoing investment to address roll growth, particularly in Auckland which is our fastest-growing city,” says Ms Kaye.
“St Leonards Road School is located in an area servicing a burgeoning population, and the three extra teaching spaces will be a welcome addition to help accommodate the impact of this on the school’s roll.”
