Education Amendment Bill passes third reading

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today welcomed the passing of the Education Amendment Bill (No 2).

The Bill establishes a new professional body for the education profession, the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (EDUCANZ), and modernises and strengthens governance arrangements for universities and wānanga.

“This legislation ensures our teachers and education leaders are in the best position to help our children and young people meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,” says Ms Parata.

“EDUCANZ will provide strong leadership, further raise the status of teachers, and support quality teaching to ensure the profession is held in the high regard it deserves.”

The EDUCANZ governing council will have a majority of members who are registered teachers and hold current practising certificates.

“This means a strong core of teaching experience partnered with leadership, financial management, and governance skills to ensure EDUCANZ can carry out its leadership role effectively,” says Ms Parata.

“This Bill strengthens the regulatory framework for teaching which will ensure consistently high standards of entry into the profession and ongoing competence of teachers.”

Mr Joyce says the Bill modernises governance arrangements for universities and wānanga by reducing council size, increasing membership flexibility and ensuring all members have relevant knowledge, skills or experience.

“Smaller, skills-based councils will enable universities and wānanga to respond quickly and effectively to the modern day challenges of tertiary education,” says Mr Joyce.

“The changes will not affect institutional autonomy or academic freedom, which are guaranteed by section 161 of the Education Act 1989, nor will they lead to more Ministerial control over councils.

“Institutions will still have the freedom to decide who is represented on their councils, including students or staff members, and will be able to choose their own chair and deputy chair.”

The Bill also strengthens the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students and introduces an independent contract disputes resolution scheme for international students. It also strengthens quality assurance arrangements in the tertiary education sector.

“The Government has ambitious goals for growing our $2.85 billion international education sector.  If we’re to do that, international students must have a positive, well-supported experience and a high quality education,” Mr Joyce says.