Parliament bill

Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill

Royal assent · Introduced by Hon Erica Stanford · National Party

Last checked
July 30, 2026 11:01
Source captured
July 30, 2026 11:01
Source
View on Parliament.nz

What this bill does

The bill passed its third reading 67–55; the vote was not unanimous. According to the Minister, some schools need earlier support, while education regulation, teacher oversight, and school-property management need clearer responsibilities. The bill aims to create more coherent and accountable education-system arrangements that support student achievement and attendance. The bill restructures education administration: it creates the New Zealand School Property Agency to manage education property, moves early childhood, private-school, and hostel regulation to a Director of Regulation within the Education Review Office, and redistributes some Teaching Council functions to the Secretary for Education.

AI-assisted summary based on the bill text and linked Hansard debates.

Latest voting result

June 23, 2026
Third reading: Passed Party vote

Ayes 67 · Noes 55

  • National Party Aye · 48 votes
  • ACT Party Aye · 11 votes
  • NZ First Party Aye · 8 votes
  • Labour Party No · 34 votes
  • Green Party No · 15 votes
  • Te Pāti Māori No · 4 votes
  • Ferris, Tākuta No
  • Kapa-Kingi, Mariameno No

View the vote in Hansard

Arguments raised in Parliament

AI-assisted summary of the linked Hansard debates. Each point is grounded in the cited transcript.

Arguments for

The Government argues that consolidating early-childhood, hostel, and private-school regulation in the Education Review Office will reduce duplicated work and improve regulatory efficiency.

The Government argues that the New Zealand School Property Agency will use value-for-money investment to give schools warm, safe, dry, functional classrooms and enable more property work.

The Government argues that rolling curriculum reviews will give schools predictable updates and avoid the disruption of periodically replacing the entire curriculum.

The Government argues that strengthened Teaching Council governance and statutory purpose will make the regulator safeguard students through teacher registration, competence, and conduct oversight.

Arguments against

Nuance and qualifications

After feedback, the Government removed the proposed home-schooling requirements from this bill and said it would develop any future changes through a fuller process.

Bill text

Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill

Version published May 27, 2026 00:00.

Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows: 1 Title This Act is the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Act 2025 . 2 Commencement This Act comes into force on 6 July 2026 . However,— aaa the following provisions (which relate to the Director of Regulation) come into force on 1 September 2026 a single date set by Order in Council : i sections 5A to 5E : ii sections 47 to 50 : iii section 52(1) , but only for the purpose of giving effect to subparts 4 and 4A of Part 10 of Schedule 1 of the Education and Training Act 2020: iv section 55 : v section 61 , but only for the purpose of giving effect to the item in Part 2 of Schedule 2 relating to the Education (Hostels) Regulations 2005 (other than the item referred to in subsection (2)(c)(vi) ); and a the following provisions (which relate to the New Zealand School Property Agency) come into force on a single date set by Order in Council: i section 4 : ii sections 12 to 14 : iii section 31 : iv section 42 : v section 44 : vi section 51 : via section 52(1) , but only for the purpose of giving effect to subpart 5 of Part 10 of Schedule 1 of the Education and Training…
Read full bill text
Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows: 1 Title This Act is the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Act 2025 . 2 Commencement This Act comes into force on 6 July 2026 . However,— aaa the following provisions (which relate to the Director of Regulation) come into force on 1 September 2026 a single date set by Order in Council : i sections 5A to 5E : ii sections 47 to 50 : iii section 52(1) , but only for the purpose of giving effect to subparts 4 and 4A of Part 10 of Schedule 1 of the Education and Training Act 2020: iv section 55 : v section 61 , but only for the purpose of giving effect to the item in Part 2 of Schedule 2 relating to the Education (Hostels) Regulations 2005 (other than the item referred to in subsection (2)(c)(vi) ); and a the following provisions (which relate to the New Zealand School Property Agency) come into force on a single date set by Order in Council: i section 4 : ii sections 12 to 14 : iii section 31 : iv section 42 : v section 44 : vi section 51 : via section 52(1) , but only for the purpose of giving effect to subpart 5 of Part 10 of Schedule 1 of the Education and Training Act 2020: vii sections 57 to 60 : viii section 62 ; and b sections 6 to 8 (which relate to exemptions from attendance) come into force on 1 January 2027 ; and c the following provisions come into force on 1 July 2027 : i section 5F (which relates to long-term exemptions from enrolment): ii sections 11AAA and 11AAB (which relate to limits on use of physical restraint in licensed hostels): vi section 61 , but only for the purpose of giving effect to the item in Part 2 of Schedule 2 relating to the revocation of the definitions of licensed hostel and owner in the Education (Hostels) Regulations 2005. If the provisions referred to in subsection (2)(a) subsection (2)(aaa) or (2)(a) have not come into force by 1  October November 2026 , they come into force then. An Order in Council made under this section is secondary legislation ( see Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019 for publication requirements). 3 Principal Act This Act amends the Education and Training Act 2020. 4 Section 9 amended (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) After section 9(2)(g), insert: gaa section 517F(1)(h) , which provides that the New Zealand School Property Agency must support the Crown in its responsibility to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi; and 5 Section 10 amended (Interpretation) In section 10(1), insert in their appropriate alphabetical order: central government education agency means— a a school board as defined in section 7(1)(d) of the Crown Entities Act 2004; and b an agency that has functions in relation to education or infrastructure, and that is either of the following: i a Crown agent as defined in section 10(1) of the Crown Entities Act 2004: ii a public service agency as defined in section 5 of the Public Service Act 2020 conversion date , in relation to a converted school, means the date on which a State school becomes a charter school converted school means a former State school that has become a charter school in accordance with an approval granted to a sponsor under section 212I education property means land, buildings, or associated infrastructure that is— a occupied or used by a board for the operation of a State school or purposes incidental to that operation; or b owned by, or leased to, the Crown for— i the operation of an early childhood education and care centre or purposes incidental to that operation; or ii other education purposes (for example, property leased to a sponsor under section 212R); but c does not include land, buildings, or associated infrastructure primarily used for the operation of a tertiary education organisation forecast financial statements has the meaning given in section 2(1) of the Public Finance Act 1989 generally accepted accounting practice has the meaning given in section 8 of the Financial Reporting Act 2013 Government policy statement or GPS means the Government policy statement issued under section 517T licensed hostel means a hostel that has been granted or renewed a licence that has not expired or been suspended or cancelled multi-school contract means a charter school contract that allows a sponsor to operate 2 or more charter schools New Zealand School Property Agency or NZSPA means the entity established by section 517B owner , in relation to a hostel, means the person who is lawfully entitled to occupy, and is operating a hostel at, the hostel’s premises regulated entity , for the purposes of subpart 5A of Part 5 , means— a a State school board; and b a proprietor occupying education property; and c a sponsor occupying education property regulatory officer means a person designated under section 621C relevant person , for the purposes of subpart 5A of Part 5 , means an occupier of education property or person in charge of that property responsible person , in relation to a licensed hostel, means a person directly involved in, and primarily responsible for, the boarders’ day-to-day care, comfort, health, and safety school property portfolio means land, buildings, or associated infrastructure that is— a occupied or used by a board for the operation of a State school or purposes incidental to that operation; and b owned by, or leased to, the Crown for education purposes (for example, property leased to a sponsor under section 212R); but c does not include land, buildings, or associated infrastructure primarily used for the operation of an early childhood education and care centre or tertiary education organisation specified kura board , for the purposes of subpart 4A of Part 6 , means the board of any of the following: a a Kura Kaupapa Māori: b a designated character school with a character that is hapū- or iwi-based, or that affiliates with Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa: c a State integrated school with a special character that is hapū- or iwi-based system monitoring study means a study notified by the Minister under section 618A teacher education programme means a training programme recognised by the Teaching Council as suitable for people who want to teach In section 10(1), replace the definition of Director of Regulation or Director with: Director of Regulation or Director means the person appointed under section 621A In section 10(1), definition of employment-based trainee teacher , replace an initial with a . In section 10(1), repeal the definition of initial teacher education programme . 5A Section 27A repealed (Director of Regulation) Repeal section 27A. 5B Section 27B amended (Functions of Director of Regulation) In the heading to section 27B, replace Functions with Early childhood education functions . Repeal section 27B(k). 5C Section 27C amended (Performance and exercise of Director’s functions, duties, and powers) In the heading to section 27C, replace functions with early childhood education functions . In section 27C(1), after powers , insert in relation to this Part . In section 27C(3), replace Secretary with chief executive of the Education Review Office . 5D Section 27D amended (Principles guiding performance and exercise of Director’s functions, duties, and powers) In the heading to section 27D, replace functions with early childhood education functions . In section 27D, after power , insert in relation to this Part . 5E Section 27E repealed (Delegation of Director’s functions, duties, and powers) Repeal section 27E. 5F Section 38 amended (Long-term exemptions from enrolment) After section 38(4), insert: 4A If an exemption certificate is granted under subsection (1), the parent must also meet any requirements prescribed in regulations made under section 640A . In section 38(5)(c), after subsection (1) , insert or not satisfied that the parent has complied with subsection (4A) . 6 Section 44 repealed (Exemption from attendance because of walking distance to school or some other reason) Repeal section 44. 7 Section 45 replaced (Exemption of student from attendance for period of no more than 5 days) Replace section 45 with: 45 Exemption of student from attendance 1 Despite section 36, the principal of a State school may exempt a student from attending the school in accordance with rules made by the Secretary under section 46 . 2 In the absence of evidence to the contrary, a certificate from the principal stating that a student was absent from school for any period is sufficient proof that the student was absent for that period without being exempted under subsection (1) . 3 For the purposes of this section, judicial notice must be taken of the appointment and signature of the principal. 8 Section 46 replaced (Secretary may require enrolment of certain children at distance school) Replace section 46 with: 46 Rules about exemptions from attendance 1 The Secretary may make rules (which must be consistent with this Act) specifying requirements that must be met for a principal to exempt a student from attendance under section 45 , including (without limitation) rules— a setting out the grounds on which a principal may grant an exemption from attendance; and b specifying the type of evidence a principal must receive before granting an exemption; and c specifying the duration of an exemption that a principal may grant. 2 Rules under this section are secondary legislation ( see Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019 for publication requirements). 9 Section 90 amended (Curriculum statements and national performance measures) In the heading to section 90, replace Curriculum with National curriculum . Replace section 90(1) with: 1 The Minister may make the following: a national curriculum statements , which are statements of— i what students are to be taught and are expected to learn during the years of schooling; and ii how the curriculum is to be taught and learnt (for example, through assessment or aromatawai); and iii expectations and priorities for the curriculum, including for the design of teaching and learning programmes under section 164: b national performance measures , which are targets against which the performance of boards can be measured. After section 90(2)(b), insert: c differ according to the classification or designation of a school, the group or year level of students attending a school, or any combination of those classifications, designations, groups, and levels. Replace section 90(3)(a) to (c) with: a national curriculum statements: b national performance measures. 10 New sections 90A to 90C inserted After section 90, insert: 90A Review of national curriculum statements by Secretary 1 The Secretary must, on an ongoing basis,— a plan for a rolling cycle of reviews of learning areas, subjects, and wāhanga ako referred to in a national curriculum statement made under section 90; and b conduct those reviews. 2 The Secretary must ensure that a plan under subsection (1) provides for a review of each learning area, subject, and wāhanga ako in a national curriculum statement at least once every 5 years. 3 In conducting a review, the Secretary must have regard to— a information about the educational achievement of students in the reviewed learning areas, subjects, and wāhanga ako; and b relevant evidence, for example, from new developments in educational research; and c international practice relating to the setting of curricula. 4 As soon as practicable after conducting a review under subsection (1) or section 90C(2) , the Secretary must prepare for the Minister a written report that includes— a the findings of the review; and b the Secretary’s recommendations for any amendments that should be made to the national curriculum statement. 90B Amendment of national curriculum statements by Minister 1 The Minister may amend a national curriculum statement made under section 90 after having regard to— a the Secretary’s report under section 90A(4) (if any); and b information about the educational achievement of students in the reviewed learning areas, subjects, and wāhanga ako; and c relevant evidence, for example, from new developments in educational research; and d international practice relating to the setting of curricula. 1A However, the Minister may amend a national curriculum statement without having regard to the matters set out in subsection (1)(a) to (d) if the changes are minor or technical. 1B The Ministry must give public notice of any amendments made under this section. 2 The Minister may exercise the power in subsection (1) whether or not the Secretary has reviewed the national curriculum statement, or reported on it under section 90A . 90C Minister may direct Secretary to review national curriculum statement 1 Despite section 90A , the Minister may direct the Secretary to review 1 or more learning areas, subjects, or wāhanga ako in a national curriculum statement. 2 The Secretary must commence the review as soon as is reasonably practicable after receiving the direction. 11 Section 91 replaced (Board of State school must consult about delivery of health curriculum) Replace section 91 with: 91 Board of State school must inform school community about delivery of health curriculum 1 The board of a State school must inform the school community— a about the content of the health curriculum and how it will be delivered; and b that a parent of a student enrolled at the school may ask the principal in writing under section 51 to ensure that the student is released from tuition in specified parts of the health curriculum related to sexuality education. 2 The board must carry out the duty in subsection (1) on a regular basis, but at least once every 3 years or whenever the health curriculum is changed, whichever occurs sooner. 3 In this section, school community means,— a for a State integrated school, the parents of students enrolled at the school, and the school’s proprietors: b for any other State school, the parents of students enrolled at the school: c in every case, any other person who the board considers is part of the school community for the purposes of this section. 11AAA Section 99 amended (Limits on use of physical restraint at registered schools) In the heading to section 99, after registered schools , insert and licensed hostels . In section 99(1), after school , insert or licensed hostel . In section 99(4), replace the definition of authorised staff member with: authorised staff member ,— a in relation to a registered school, means an employee who is trained and authorised by the employer to use physical restraint in accordance with this section: b in relation to a licensed hostel, means an employee who is trained and authorised by the owner to use physical restraint in accordance with this section 11AAB Section 100 amended (Rules on use of physical restraint at registered schools) In the heading to section 100, after registered schools , insert and licensed hostels . In section 100(1),— a after employers, , insert owners, ; and b after persons holding a teaching position, , insert responsible persons, ; and c after registered schools , insert or licensed hostels . After section 100(3)(c), insert: d owners or representatives of licensed hostels. 11A Section 127 amended (Paramount objective of boards in governing schools) In section 127(2)(b), replace foundation curriculum policy statement with national curriculum statement . Replace section 127(2)(f)(i) with: i any national curriculum statement; and 12 Section 161 amended (Occupancy of property and buildings) In section 161(1) and (7)(c), replace Secretary with Board of the NZSPA . After section 161(1), insert: 1A Before specifying any terms and conditions under this section, the Board of the NZSPA must consult the Secretary. 13 Section 162 amended (Leases and licences granted by boards) In section 162(1), (2), and (3), replace Secretary with Board of the NZSPA . 14 Section 163 amended (Other agreements to occupy school land or buildings) In section 163(4), replace Secretary with Board of the NZSPA . 15 Section 164 amended (Teaching and learning programmes) In section 164(a), delete foundation curriculum policy statements and . 16 Section 165 amended (Monitoring of and reporting on student performance) In section 165(2)(a), delete foundation curriculum policy statements and . 17 New sections 170A to 170C and cross-heading inserted After section 170, insert: State schools of serious concern 170A Notification by Chief Review Officer 1 This section applies if the Chief Review Officer forms a view, following the performance of 1 or more of their functions under section 463, that a State school may be of serious concern. 2 The Chief Review Officer must notify the Secretary and the Minister of their view within 2 working days after forming that view. 170B Report by Chief Review Officer 1 The Chief Review Officer must give the Secretary and the Minister a written report— a stating whether the school notified under section 170A is of serious concern to the Chief Review Officer; and b recommending 1 or more interventions under section 171 that may address the matter (if the report states that the school is of serious concern to the Chief Review Officer). 2 The report must be given within 28 working days after the Secretary and the Minister receive the notification under section 170A . 170C Report by Secretary 1 This section applies if the Secretary receives a report under section 170B stating that a school is of serious concern to the Chief Review Officer. 2 The Secretary must give the Chief Review Officer and the Minister a written report that sets out— a what action (if any) the Secretary has taken in relation to the school; or b what action the Secretary intends to take in relation to the school, and the time frame for that action; or c what action the Secretary recommends that the Minister take in relation to the school, with reasons for the recommendation. 3 The report must be given within 30 working days after the Secretary receives the report under section 170B . 18 Section 171 amended (Interventions in State schools by Secretary or Minister) After section 171(3), insert: 3A In considering whether reasonable grounds are established under subsection (2) or (3), the Minister or the Secretary may rely on and take into account information in a report given under section 170B . 3B Subsection (3A) does not limit the information that the Minister or the Secretary can rely on or take into account for the purposes of subsection (2) or (3). 19 Section 190 amended (Minister may establish State schools) After section 190(2), insert: 2A Despite subsection (2), the Minister must establish a State school if required to do so under section 212ZEB . 20 Section 212I amended (Authorisation Board may approve sponsor) In section 212I(1), replace a charter school with 1 or more charter schools . After section 212I(5), insert: Additional criteria for multi-school contracts 6 In the case of a sponsor proposing to enter into a multi-school contract, the Authorisation Board must also take into account the following matters: a the overall operating model of the schools the sponsor proposes to operate, including how the sponsor intends to allocate resources between them: b if applicable, how each school that the sponsor is currently operating is performing. Amendment of approval 7 The Authorisation Board may, with the agreement of the sponsor, amend an existing approval to— a add 1 or more charter schools; or b remove 1 or more charter schools. 21 Section 212L amended (Charter school contracts) In section 212L(1), replace a charter school with 1 or more charter schools . After section 212L(5), insert: 5A In the case of a multi-school contract, the contract must set out the matters referred to in the following provisions in relation to each school covered by the contract: a subsection (5)(a): b subsection (5)(d) and (e): c subsection (5)(g): d subsection (5)(h) to (j): e if applicable, subsection (6). 5AB Despite subsection (5A) , the contract may, in relation to the matters referred to in subsection (5)(g), provide for a single self-audit report for all the schools covered by the contract with school-specific sections. 5B The Agency and a sponsor may, by agreement, vary a multi-school contract to— a add 1 or more charter schools; or b remove 1 or more charter schools. 22 Section 212M amended (Notification of charter school) Replace section 212M(2) with: 2 A notice under subsection (1) must specify— a whether the charter school is covered by a multi-school contract; and b in relation to each charter school covered by a charter school contract,— i the name and location of the charter school to which the contract relates; and ii the name of the sponsor; and iii whether the charter school is to be a primary, secondary, or composite school; and iv whether the charter school will offer or provide distance learning and, if so, whether the school’s main mode of curriculum delivery will be distance learning; and v the year levels for which education may be given at the school; and vi any religious, philosophical, or other distinguishing characteristics of the school; and vii whether all or any (and if so, which) year levels are to be single-sex. 23 Section 212O amended (Duties of sponsors) In section 212O, after A sponsor must , insert , in relation to each charter school covered by the contract, . In section 212O, insert as subsection (2): 2 However, in the case of a multi-school contract, the sponsor may appoint a chief executive to be responsible for the day-to-day management of all the schools covered by the contract. 24 Section 212P amended (Sponsor to control management of charter school) In section 212P(1) and (2), replace the school with each school covered by the charter school contract . 25 New sections 212ZEA and 212ZEB and cross-heading inserted After section 212ZE, insert: Replacement of converted school with State school 212ZEA Authorisation Board to find replacement sponsor 1 This section applies if the sponsor of a converted school gives— a written notice of termination of its charter school contract to the Agency and the Authorisation Board; or b written notice to the Agency and Authorisation Board that it will not exercise any right of renewal of the contract. 2 After receiving notice under subsection (1) , the Authorisation Board must take reasonable steps to find a replacement sponsor. 3 Sections 212I, 212J, and 212K apply, with any necessary modifications, to the approval of a replacement sponsor. 4 Section 212L applies, with any necessary modifications, to a replacement sponsor. 212ZEB Minister must establish replacement State school 1 This section applies if the Authorisation Board is unable to find a replacement sponsor for the charter school before the date of termination or expiry of the charter school contract. State integrated school 2 If the converted school was, immediately before the conversion date, a State integrated school, the Minister must accept an application from the former proprietor of that school to negotiate integration. 3 Despite subsection (2) , the Minister is not required to establish a replacement State integrated school if, in the Minister’s opinion, 1 or more of the following apply: a establishing the school would have significant implications for the Crown’s finances that are not justified in the circumstances: b establishing the school would not benefit the network of State schools by allowing students access to quality schooling and providing choice about the type of education they receive: c there is insufficient community support for integration of the school. 4 After the Minister accepts an application under subsection (2) , the Minister must offer terms that are substantially similar to those in the previous integration agreement relating to the school. State school other than State integrated school 5 If the converted school was, immediately before the conversion date, a State school other than a State integrated school, the Minister must, under section 190, establish a replacement State school of the same type that the converted school was before the date of conversion. 6 Despite subsection (5) , the Minister is not required to establish a replacement State school if, in the Minister’s opinion, 1 or more of the following apply: a establishing the school would have significant implications for the Crown’s finances that are not justified in the circumstances: b establishing the school would not benefit the network of State schools by allowing students access to quality schooling and providing choice about the type of education they receive: c there is insufficient community support for the replacement school. 26 Section 212ZF amended (Interventions in charter schools by Authorisation Board) After section 212ZF(1)(e), insert: f in the case of a multi-school contract,— i remove 1 or more charter schools from the contract; or ii remove 1 or more charter schools from the contract and replace the sponsor with another sponsor. In section 212ZF(3), replace subsection (1)(d) or (e) with subsection (1)(d), (e), or (f) . In section 212ZF(5), after charter school contract , insert or exercising the power in subsection (1)(f) . 27 Section 213 amended (Secretary may require application for registration of school) In the heading to section 213, replace Secretary with Director . In section 213, replace Secretary with Director of Regulation in each place. 28 Section 214 amended (Registration of private schools) In section 214(2), replace— a Secretary with Director of Regulation in each place; and b provided with approved . 29 Section 239 replaced (Offence relating to failure to comply with notice given under section 46) Replace section 239 with: 239 Offence relating to failure to comply with Secretary’s direction under section 82(1)(c) 1 A parent commits an offence if the parent fails to comply with a direction given by the Secretary under section 82(1)(c). 2 The parent is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000. 30 Section 249 amended (Offences relating to operation of private schools) In section 249(3), replace Secretary with Director of Regulation . 30A Section 284 amended (Statutes) In section 284(2), replace This section with Subsection (1)(h) . 31 Section 399 amended (Outline of Part 5) After section 399(6), insert: 6A Subpart 5A concerns the New Zealand School Property Agency. 32 Section 452 amended (Rules) In section 452(1)(s), after qualifications , insert , micro-credentials, in each place. 33 Section 475 replaced (Composition of Teaching Council) Replace section 475 with: 475 Composition of Teaching Council 1 The Teaching Council consists of at least 7, but not more than 9, members appointed by the Minister in accordance with section 476. 2 The Minister— a must appoint one of the members appointed under this section as chairperson; and b may appoint one of the members appointed under this section as a deputy chairperson. 34 Section 476 amended (Ministerial appointment as member) Replace section 476(1) and (2) with: 1 The members of the Teaching Council appointed by the Minister must be persons nominated after the Teaching Council vacancy has been publicly notified. 2 The public notice must— a specify the appointment process; and b list the criteria for appointment specified in subsection (4). Repeal section 476(3). Replace section 476(4)(b) with: b have regard to the collective skills, experience, and knowledge of members of the Teaching Council, including (without limitation) the candidate’s knowledge and experience in any of the following areas: i governance: ii finance and risk management: iii regulatory compliance: iv disciplinary processes: v understanding of the partnership principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. After section 476(4), insert: 5 The Minister must appoint at least 3 members who each have at least 5 years’ experience in the education sector. 35 Section 478 replaced (Purpose of Teaching Council) Replace section 478 with: 478 Purposes of Teaching Council The purposes of the Teaching Council are to— a provide regulatory oversight of teachers’ fitness to practise and professional competence; and b through the performance of its functions set out in section 479(1), ensure the safety of children and young people in early childhood, primary, and secondary education settings; and c provide assurance about the quality of initial teacher education programmes and their providers in order to ensure that graduates are prepared for the workforce. 36 Section 479 amended (Functions and powers of Teaching Council) Replace section 479(1) with: 1 The functions of the Teaching Council are to— a carry out the functions under Schedule 3 relating to teacher registration: b conduct, in conjunction with quality assurance agencies,— i approvals of teacher education programmes; and ii monitoring and review of delivery of those programmes: c monitor and enforce the requirements relating to mandatory reporting in this subpart and Schedule 3: d perform the disciplinary functions in this subpart relating to teacher misconduct and reports of teacher convictions: e set the criteria for reporting serious misconduct and for reporting on competence issues: f perform the functions in this subpart relating to teacher competence: g co-ordinate a system providing for the vetting by the Police of all teachers: h prosecute, as the Teaching Council considers appropriate, breaches of the requirements of this Act relating to mandatory reports to the Council, teacher registration, practising certificates, and limited authorities to teach: i perform any other functions conferred on it by this Act or any other legislation. Repeal section 479(2). After section 479(3), insert: 3A For the purpose of carrying out its functions in subsection (1)(b) , the Teaching Council may, by written notice, require a teacher education programme provider to give the Council any information specified in the notice within a specified time. 3B The Teaching Council may do 1 or more of the following after consulting the Secretary: a impose conditions on the approval of a teacher education programme when approving the programme: b impose new conditions on the approval: c amend or revoke any existing conditions: d cancel a programme approval. In section 479(7), replace (1)(g), (h), or (i) with (1)(b) . 37 Section 480 amended (Teaching Council fees, levies, and costs) In section 480(4)(a), replace registered teachers with the Minister, registered teachers, . 38 New section 480A inserted (Functions of Secretary) After section 480, insert: 480A Functions of Secretary 1 The functions of the Secretary are to— Teacher registration a establish and maintain criteria for teacher registration under Schedule 3 that the Secretary considers necessary or desirable: Standards and criteria for qualifications, ongoing practice, and practising certificates b establish and maintain standards for qualifications that lead to teacher registration: c establish and maintain— i standards for ongoing practice; and ii criteria for the issue of practising certificates of different kinds: Code of conduct d establish and maintain a code of conduct for teachers under section 485: Reviews and subsequent action e review the following in accordance with subsection (2) : i the criteria for teacher registration established under paragraph (a) : ii the standards and criteria for qualifications, ongoing practice, and practising certificates established under paragraphs (b) and (c) : iii the code of conduct established under section 485: f vary, delete, add to, or replace 1 or more criteria or standards established under paragraphs (a) to (c) after— i a review under paragraph (e) ; and ii consulting the Teaching Council and the organisations of employees affected by the criteria or standards: g vary, add to, or replace the code of conduct established under section 485 after a review under paragraph (e) . 2 The Secretary must carry out the reviews referred to in subsection (1)(e) — a at least once every 7 years; or b at shorter intervals if the Secretary thinks there is good reason to do so. 38A Section 481 amended (Ministerial powers) Replace the heading to section 481 with Powers of Minister and Secretary . In section 481(2), after Minister , insert or the Secretary in each place. After section 481(2), insert: 3 Despite anything in this subpart, the Minister may not give a direction or intervene in any matter that relates to any specific registration, competence, conduct, or disciplinary matter being considered by any of the following: a the Teaching Council: b the Complaints Assessment Committee: c the Disciplinary Tribunal: d the Competence Authority. 38B Section 482 amended (Issue of statement of Government policy relating to Teaching Council’s functions) In section 482(5), replace have regard to with give effect to . 38C New sections 482A to 482D and cross-heading inserted After section 482, insert: Reporting and financial obligations 482A Obligation to prepare statement of intent 1 The Teaching Council must prepare a statement of intent at least once in every 3-year period. 2 A statement of intent must relate to the next financial year and at least the following 3 financial years. 3 A statement of intent must, for the period to which it relates,— a set out the strategic objectives that the Teaching Council intends to achieve or contribute to: b explain the nature and scope of the Teaching Council’s functions and intended operations: c explain how the Teaching Council intends to manage its functions and operations to meet its strategic intentions: d explain how the Teaching Council proposes to manage its organisational health and capability: e explain how the Teaching Council proposes to assess its performance: f set out and explain any other matters that— i are reasonably necessary to achieve an understanding of the Teaching Council’s strategic intentions and capability: ii the Teaching Council is required to include in its statement of intent under this Act or another Act. Ministerial involvement in statement of intent 4 The Minister may, if the Minister considers it necessary or desirable,— a require the Teaching Council to provide the Minister with a draft statement of intent: b make comments on a draft statement of intent: c agree with the Teaching Council that information additional to that referred to in subsection (3) be included in a statement of intent: d by written notice, require the Teaching Council to— i amend information included in a statement of intent: ii provide a new statement of intent that complies with this section: iii follow a particular process or time frame in relation to the matters referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d)(ii) . 5 Despite subsection (2) , the Minister may require the new statement of intent to relate to the remainder of the current financial year in addition to the next financial year and at least the following 3 financial years. 482B Obligation to publish and present statement of intent 1 The Teaching Council must, as soon as practicable, publish a statement of intent prepared under section 482A on an Internet site maintained by or on behalf of the Council. 2 The Teaching Council must, as soon as practicable after preparing a statement of intent, present it to the House of Representatives. 482C Obligation to prepare statement of performance expectations 1 Before the start of each financial year, the Teaching Council must prepare a statement of performance expectations for the financial year. 2 A statement of performance expectations must— a identify the nature of key outputs that the Teaching Council intends to deliver; and b include an explanation of what the outputs are intended to achieve and how delivery of the outputs will be assessed against the statement of intent; and c contain forecast financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice. 3 In preparing a statement of performance expectations under subsection (1) , the Teaching Council must have regard to any expectations of the Minister that are communicated to the Council in writing and that relate to— a the Teaching Council’s work programme; or b engagement with the Minister or the Ministry. Ministerial involvement in statement of performance expectations 4 The Minister may, if the Minister considers it necessary or desirable,— a require the Teaching Council to provide the Minister with a draft statement of performance expectations: b make comments on a draft statement of performance expectations: c agree with the Teaching Council that information additional to that referred to in subsection (2) be included in a statement of performance expectations: d by written notice, require the Teaching Council to— i amend information included in a statement of performance expectations: ii provide a new statement of performance expectations that complies with this section: iii follow a particular process or time frame in relation to the matters referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d)(ii) . 482D Obligation to publish and present statement of performance expectations 1 The Teaching Council must, as soon as practicable, publish a statement of performance expectations prepared under section 482C on an Internet site maintained by or on behalf of the Council. 2 The Teaching Council must, as soon as practicable after preparing a statement of performance expectations, present it to the House of Representatives. 38D Section 483 replaced (Reports) Replace section 483 with: 483 Annual report on operations 1 The Teaching Council must, as soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, prepare an annual report on its operations. 2 The Teaching Council must publish an annual report on an Internet site maintained by or on behalf of the Teaching Council. 3 The Teaching Council must, as soon as practicable after preparing an annual report, present it to the House of Representatives. 4 The annual report must include (without limitation)— a a statement of performance for the financial year, including the outputs achieved, as compared with the outputs intended to be delivered (which were included in the statement of performance expectations); and b the financial statements of the Teaching Council that have been audited by a qualified auditor (within the meaning of section 35 of the Financial Reporting Act 2013); and c an audit report from the person who audited the financial statements; and d a report on how the Teaching Council has complied with the requirement under section 482(5) to give effect to any relevant statement of Government policy; and e any other matters that relate to or affect the Teaching Council’s operations that the Teaching Council is otherwise required, or has undertaken, to report on in its annual report. 39 Section 485 amended (Code of conduct) In section 485(1) and (5), replace Teaching Council with Secretary . After section 485(1), insert: 1A Despite clause 2 of Schedule 6 of the Public Service Act 2020, the Secretary must not delegate to any person the functions or duties under this section. Replace section 485(2) with: 2 When preparing the code of conduct (and any amendments to it), the Secretary— a must take all reasonable steps to consult— i those who are bound by it; and ii the Teaching Council; and iii the Public Service Commissioner; and b must have regard to— i any relevant minimum standards of integrity and conduct or code of conduct that the Public Service Commissioner sets or issues under section 17 of the Public Service Act 2020; and ii any code of conduct that the Secretary issues under section 598. Repeal section 485(3). 39A Section 486 amended (Teaching Council to make rules) Repeal section 486(1)(a). 40 Section 487 amended (Delegations) Repeal section 487(2)(e). 40A Section 488 replaced (Chief executive and employees) Replace section 488 with: 488 Chief executive and employees 1 The Teaching Council may appoint a chief executive— a for a term not exceeding 5 years; and b who is not a member of the Teaching Council. 2 The chief executive may be reappointed. 3 The Teaching Council may appoint any other employees it thinks necessary or desirable for the efficient performance of its functions. 41 Section 495 amended (Complaints about conduct) In section 495(1), replace Teaching Council with Secretary . 42 New subpart 5A of Part 5 inserted After section 517, insert: 5A New Zealand School Property Agency Establishment of New Zealand School Property Agency 517A Persons responsible for administration of subpart 1 The following persons are responsible for the administration of this subpart: a the Minister who, under any warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is for the time being responsible for the administration of this Act: b if an additional Minister is given responsibility for the administration of this subpart (or 1 or more sections in this subpart), that person and the person referred to in paragraph (a) . 2 If subsection (1)(b) applies, the persons referred to in that subsection must act jointly in the performance of their functions and duties, and the exercise of their powers under this subpart (or 1 or more sections of this subpart). 517B New Zealand School Property Agency established The New Zealand School Property Agency is established. 517C NZSPA is Crown entity 1 The New Zealand School Property Agency is a Crown agent. 2 The Crown Entities Act 2004 applies to the New Zealand School Property Agency, except to the extent that this Act expressly provides otherwise. 517D Membership of NZSPA 1 The Board of the NZSPA consists of at least 5, but not more than 9, members. 2 The members of the Board of the NZSPA must be appointed by the Minister. 3 When appointing members, the Minister must be satisfied that the Board of the NZSPA collectively has knowledge of, and experience and expertise, in the following areas: a governance relating to— i construction; and ii infrastructure delivery; and iii asset management; and iv the public sector: b management of large infrastructure or property portfolios: c financial and risk management: d government processes: e the New Zealand schooling system: f perspectives of State school boards and their employees, and school communities. Objective, functions, and additional duties of NZSPA 517E Objective of NZSPA The objective of the NZSPA is to support and contribute to the achievement of the purpose of this Act by ensuring that the administration of education property— a is effective and efficient; and b consistent with good practice for investment and asset management, including standards and directions issued by the Government. 517F Functions of NZSPA 1 The functions of the NZSPA are to— a administer the following as agent of the Crown: i education property and associated rights: ii improvements to education property: iii agreements relating to education property and associated rights: b manage the planning, design, construction, acquisition, maintenance, repair, and disposal of education property— i in accordance with this Act and the Public Works Act 1981; and ii in a manner that gives effect to standards and priorities set by the Government: c support the regulated entities in planning and managing capital projects and maintenance works funded by the Ministry: d monitor the performance of education property, including by ensuring that the maintenance by a relevant person and the regulated entities of their land, buildings, and associated infrastructure complies with the following requirements: i terms and conditions specified under section 161 or section 560 (as applicable): ii other legislative requirements: iii other standards and policies specified by the Secretary or the NZSPA: e report to the Secretary, if required under section 517G(1)(b) , on a failure of a regulated entity to comply with 1 or more requirements referred to in paragraph (d) : f provide advice about property planning and delivery to the Minister and the Secretary to support decision-making related to property investment: g maintain relationships with the regulated entities and provide advice to them about education property: h support the Crown in its responsibility to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including by— i supporting the Crown in negotiating and agreeing the settlement of claims made by Māori in relation to breaches or alleged breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi or its principles; and ii understanding and administering Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement commitments in relation to education property as agent of the Crown: i carry out any additional function— i conferred on it by this Act or any other legislation; or ii relevant to its objective that the Minister directs in accordance with section 112 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. 2 The Board of the NZSPA may employ any person— a it thinks necessary or desirable for the effective and efficient administration of its functions; and b who is not an existing member of the Board of the NZSPA or a State school board; and c subject to the condition that the person does not become a member of the Board of the NZSPA or a State school board during their employment term. 517G Additional collective duties of NZSPA Board 1 The Board of the NZSPA must ensure that— a the NZSPA maintains systems and processes to ensure that the NZSPA has the capability and capacity to perform its functions under section 517F ; and b the NZSPA makes a report to the Secretary if— i a regulated entity has failed to comply with, or is not complying with, 1 or more requirements referred to in section 517F(1)(d) ; and ii the non-compliance is significant or recurring; and iii intervention by the NZSPA has failed to address the non-compliance within a reasonable time; and c it appoints a chief executive— i who is not an existing member of the Board of the NZSPA or a State school board; and ii subject to the condition that they do not become a member of the Board of the NZSPA or a State school board during their appointment term; and iii in accordance with section 117 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. 2 The duties of the Board of the NZSPA in subsection (1) are— a in addition to the duties in sections 49 to 52 of the Crown Entities Act 2004; and b collective duties owed to the Minister for the purposes of section 58 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. Powers of NZSPA Board 517H Power to authorise entry, inspection, construction, repairs, and maintenance 1 The Board of the NZSPA may, for the purpose of performing the functions of the NZSPA under section 517F , authorise a person in writing to exercise the powers in subsection (2) . 2 A person holding an authorisation under subsection (1) (the authorised person ) may, at any reasonable time and having given reasonable notice to a relevant person,— a enter and inspect education property: b inspect, photocopy, print, or copy onto a storage device a document (whether held in electronic or paper form) that the authorised person believes on reasonable grounds to belong to the relevant person: c remove a document described in paragraph (b) , whether in its original form or as an electronic or a paper copy: d require the relevant person to— i produce documents or provide information relating to the operation of the school or early childhood education and care centre that is operated on the education property: ii permit the authorised person to copy or take extracts from the documents or information: e enter education property and carry out, or arrange for the carrying out of— i any construction related to that property; or ii necessary repairs or maintenance. Additional requirements for entry of dwelling house 3 An authorised person may only enter education property that is a dwelling house— a in the case of an emergency; or b for the purpose of inspecting the premises, between 8 am and 7 pm on any day after giving the relevant person at least 48 hours’ notice of the intended entry, and not more frequently than once in any period of 4 weeks; or c for the purpose of carrying out construction, necessary repairs, or maintenance on the premises between 8 am and 7 pm on any day after giving the relevant person at least 24 hours’ notice of— i the intended entry; and ii the reason for the intended entry. 4 An authorised person may only exercise the powers in subsections (2)(b) to (d) in relation to a dwelling house if the person has reasonable grounds to believe the documents or information relate to the operation of the school or the early childhood education and care centre that employs the relevant person. Duties of relevant person 5 The relevant person must facilitate the exercise of powers under subsection (2)(a) and (e) . General requirements for exercise of power 6 An authorisation under subsection (1) must contain— a a reference to this section; and b the full name of the authorised person; and c a statement of the powers conferred on that person by this section. 7 A person exercising a power under subsection (2) must have the appropriate written authorisation and evidence of identity, and must produce them to the relevant person— a on first entering the premises; and b whenever subsequently reasonably required to do so by the relevant person. Duties of authorised person after exercise of certain powers 8 If the authorised person removes documents from the premises under subsection (2)(c) or copies them under subsection (2)(d) , the authorised person must— a leave at the premises a list of the documents removed or copied; and b return the documents, or a copy of them, to the relevant person as soon as practicable. 9 The authorised person must list any construction, repairs, or maintenance carried out under subsection (2)(e) and provide the list to the relevant person as soon as is reasonably practicable. 517I Recovery of money expended for necessary repairs and maintenance Costs reasonably incurred by the NZSPA for necessary repairs or maintenance carried out or arranged under section 517H(2)(e)(ii) — a must be paid by the relevant person on demand by the Board of the NZSPA; and b if not paid by the relevant person in accordance with the NZSPA Board’s demand, are recoverable from the relevant person in a court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due to the NZSPA. 517J Power to require information 1 The Board of the NZSPA may, by written notice that complies with subsection (2) , require a relevant person to provide information relating to 1 or more of the following: a the land: b any buildings on the land: c any associated infrastructure: d any maintenance or repairs planned or carried out in relation to the land, buildings, or associated infrastructure. 2 The notice must specify the information required and the date by which it must be provided to the Board of the NZSPA or a person authorised by the Board of the NZSPA. 3 The relevant person must provide the information in writing by the date specified in the notice. 517K Interventions in State school by NZSPA 1 The following interventions may be used in relation to a State school: a a requirement by the Board of the NZSPA for a board to engage specialist help: b a requirement by the Board of the NZSPA for a board to prepare and carry out an action plan: c a requirement by the Board of the NZSPA that the board attend a case conference to enable a particular issue or particular issues to be discussed and actions to be agreed: d a requirement by the Board of the NZSPA that the board engage an appropriately qualified person to undertake a specialist audit of any aspect of the school’s affairs: e the issuing by the Board of the NZSPA to the board of a performance notice requiring the board to carry out a specified action by a specified date. 2 The Board of the NZSPA may use an intervention described in subsection (1) only if the Board has reasonable grounds for concern about land, buildings, or associated infrastructure occupied or used by the board. 3 When applying an intervention, the Board of the NZSPA must apply whichever intervention it considers is reasonable to deal with the risk without intervening more than necessary in the affairs of the board. 4 The application of any one intervention does not preclude applying any other intervention, either concurrently or at any other time. 517L Specialist help 1 The Board of the NZSPA may, by written notice to a board, require the board to engage specified specialist help to remedy an issue with land, buildings, or associated infrastructure occupied or used by the board. 2 A notice given under subsection (1) must identify particular persons or organisations, or types of persons or organisations, whom the board must engage. 3 The Board of the NZSPA may also require, in the notice, that the board provide to the Secretary a report or reports (for example, a progress report and a final report) on the specialist help— a by the specified time or times; or b at the specified intervals; or c both. 4 A board that receives a notice under subsection (1) must— a engage the specialist help as soon as practicable; and b pay the fees and reasonable expenses of any person or organisation engaged to provide specialist help, unless the Board of the NZSPA determines otherwise; and c if applicable, provide a report to the Board of the NZSPA at the time or times, or intervals, specified in the notice. 517M Action plans 1 The Board of the NZSPA may, by written notice to a board, require the board to prepare and carry out an action plan to remedy an issue with land, buildings, or associated infrastructure occupied or used by the board. 2 A notice under subsection (1) must specify— a the matters that the action plan must address; and b the outcomes sought; and c the time within which a draft action plan must be prepared. 3 A board that receives a notice under subsection (1) must comply with it by— a preparing a draft action plan within the time specified in the notice; and b presenting it to the Board of the NZSPA for approval. 4 The Board of the NZSPA may negotiate with the board over the draft action plan in order to reach an agreed plan. 5 However, if, after a reasonable period, the board and the Board of the NZSPA have not reached agreement over the content of the action plan, the Board of the NZSPA may give notice to the board that the Board of the NZSPA will approve a particular version of the plan. 6 If the Board of the NZSPA has approved an action plan, the board must— a implement it in accordance with its terms, unless the Board of the NZSPA directs otherwise; and b make the plan available as if it were part of the strategic plan required under section 138. 517N Case conference 1 The Board of the NZSPA may, by written notice to a board, require the board to attend a case conference on a specified date to— a discuss an issue with land, buildings, or associated infrastructure occupied or used by the board; and b agree actions to address that issue. 2 The notice must specify the issue or issues to be discussed. 3 A board that receives a notice under subsection (1) must attend the case conference. 4 The Board of the NZSPA may invite any person to attend the case conference if the Board considers that the person’s presence at the conference is desirable. Parties agree on action 5 If the case conference results in the parties reaching agreement on an action to address an issue, the agreement— a must be recorded in writing; and b is binding on the parties. Parties not able to agree on action 6 If the Board of the NZSPA and the board are not able to agree on an action to address an issue, the Board of the NZSPA may, by written notice to the board, require it to— a take a particular action; and b provide the Board of the NZSPA with a report or reports (for example, a progress report and a final report) on the action taken— i at a given time or given times; or ii at specified intervals; or iii both. 7 A board that receives a notice under subsection (6) must,— a in relation to a requirement to take a particular action, take the action as soon as practicable; and b if the notice includes a requirement to report to the Board of the NZSPA, provide a report or reports at the time or times, or intervals, specified in the notice. 517O Specialist audit 1 The Board of the NZSPA may, by written notice to the board, require a board to engage an appropriately qualified person to undertake a specialist audit in relation to land, buildings, or associated infrastructure occupied or used by the board. 2 A notice under subsection (1) must identify particular persons or organisations, or types of persons or organisations, whom the board must engage. 3 The Board of the NZSPA may also require, in the notice, that the board provide the Board of the NZSPA with a report or reports (for example, a progress report and a final report) on the audit— a as at a given time or times; or b at specified intervals; or c both. 4 A board that receives a notice under subsection (1) must— a undertake the audit as soon as practicable; and b pay the fees and reasonable expenses of any person or organisation engaged to undertake the audit, unless the Board of the NZSPA determines otherwise; and c provide a report or reports to the Board of the NZSPA at the time or times, or intervals, specified in the notice. 517P Performance notice 1 The Board of the NZSPA may, by written notice to a board, issue a performance notice requiring the board to carry out a specified action by a specified date in relation to land, buildings, or associated infrastructure occupied or used by the board. 2 The Board of the NZSPA may also require, in the notice, that the board provide the Board of the NZSPA with a report or reports (for example, a progress report and a final report) on the action taken— a as at a given time or given times; or b at specified intervals; or c both. 3 A board that receives a notice under subsection (1) must— a take the action by the date specified in the notice; and b if applicable, provide a report or reports to the Board of the NZSPA at the time or times, or intervals, specified in the notice. 517Q Power to delegate and subdelegate 1 Despite section 73 of the Crown Entities Act 2004, the Board of the NZSPA must not delegate the duty to appoint a chief executive under section 517G(1)(c) to a person other than a person acting in place of the chief executive. 2 A delegation under section 73 of the Crown Entities Act 2004 to the chief executive, if there is no chief executive for the time being, or if the chief executive is absent from duty, continues to have effect as if made to the person for the time being acting in place of the chief executive. Subdelegation 3 Despite clause 2(7) of Schedule 6 of the Public Service Act 2020, the Board of the NZSPA may subdelegate a power or function delegated to it by the Secretary to the following persons: a a member of the Board: b the chief executive of the NZSPA: c an employee of the NZSPA. 4 The remaining provisions of clause 2 of Schedule 6 of the Public Service Act 2020 apply to a subdelegation under subsection (3) with any necessary modifications. 5 The Board of the NZSPA may subdelegate a function, duty, or power delegated to it under section 517S to the following persons: a a member of the Board: b the chief executive of the NZSPA: c an employee of the NZSPA. 517R NZSPA powers elsewhere in this Act The Board of the NZSPA also has the powers set out in sections 161 to 163 and 560. Role of Minister 517S Responsible Minister may delegate functions, duties, or powers to NZSPA 1 The Minister may, either generally or specifically, delegate to the Board of the NZSPA any or all of the Minister’s functions, duties, or powers under this Act or any other Act, including functions, duties, and powers delegated to the Minister under this Act or any other Act. 2 A delegation— a must be in writing; and b may be revoked at will in writing; and c may be subject to instructions or conditions. 3 Despite subsection (1) , the Minister must not delegate— a the general power of delegation: b any functions, duties, or powers that are inconsistent with the objective of the NZSPA set out in section 517E : c the powers in sections 517T to 517Z . 4 The power of the Minister to delegate under this section— a is subject to any prohibitions, restrictions, or conditions contained in any other Act in relation to the delegation of the Minister’s functions, duties, or powers; but b does not limit any power of delegation conferred on the Minister by any other Act. 5 The NZSPA may perform or exercise any functions, duties, or powers delegated to it in the same manner and with the same effect as if they had been conferred on it directly and not by delegation (subject to any general or special directions given or conditions imposed by the Minister). 6 If the NZSPA purports to act under any delegation, it is, in the absence of proof to the contrary, presumed to be acting in accordance with the terms of the delegation. 7 A delegation does not affect or prevent the Minister from performing or exercising a function, duty, or power or affect the Minister’s responsibility for the actions of any person acting under the delegation. 517T Minister may issue GPS 1 The Minister may issue a GPS in relation to either or both of the following: a the network of State and charter schools: b the school property portfolio. 2 The purpose of the GPS is to set an overall direction and priorities in relation to either or both of the following: a the network of State and charter schools: b the school property portfolio. 3 The Minister— a may review the GPS at any time; but b must review the GPS at intervals that are no more than 3 years apart. 517U Preparation or review of GPS When preparing or reviewing a GPS, the Minister must— a be satisfied that the GPS contributes to the objective of the NZSPA as set out in section 517E ; and b consult the Ministry and the NZSPA, and have regard to their views; and c engage with other persons that the Minister considers appropriate. 517V Content of GPS 1 The GPS must include the following: a the Government’s overall direction and priorities in relation to either or both of the following: i the network of State and charter schools, including in relation to Kaupapa Māori, Māori medium, and learning support: ii the school property portfolio: b how the Government expects— i the Ministry and the NZSPA to give effect to the Government’s priorities for the network of State and charter schools and the school property portfolio; and ii the NZSPA to manage and deliver its objective and carry out its functions: c a framework for regular monitoring of progress and reporting requirements. 2 The GPS may include any other matters the Minister considers relevant. 517W GPS must be made available 1 As soon as practicable after issuing a GPS, the Minister must present a copy of the GPS to the House of Representatives. 2 The GPS must be made publicly available as soon as practicable after it is issued by publishing a copy on the Ministry’s Internet site in a format that is readily accessible. 517X Status of GPS 1 A GPS is not a direction for the purposes of Part 3 of the Crown Entities Act 2004. 2 Sections 517T to 517Z do not limit other provisions relating to directions in the Crown Entities Act 2004. 517Y Effect of GPS 1 The Ministry and the NZSPA must give effect to the GPS. 2 The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette , require a central government education agency to give effect to the GPS. 3 Before exercising a power under subsection (2) , the Minister must consult the agency likely to be affected by the exercise of the power. 517Z Amending GPS 1 The Minister may amend the GPS at any time. 2 Sections 517U, 517V, and 517W do not apply to an amendment to the GPS if the Minister considers the amendment is not significant. 43 Section 547 amended (Outline of Part 6) After section 547(5), insert: 5A Subpart 4A sets out provisions concerning system monitoring studies. After section 547(6), insert: 6A Subpart 5A sets out provisions concerning the Director of Regulation. 44 Section 560 amended (Centres situated on land owned by, or leased to, the Crown) In section 560(1)(d), (2)(a) and (b), and (3), replace Secretary with Board of the NZSPA in each place. In section 560(2)(c), replace Secretary’s approval with approval of the Board of the NZSPA . 45 Section 598 amended (Code of conduct) Replace section 598(3)(c) with: c the Public Service Commissioner, and must have regard to— i any code of conduct that the Commissioner has issued under section 17 of the Public Service Act 2020; and ii any code of conduct that the Secretary has issued under section 485. 46 New subpart 4A of Part 6 inserted After section 618, insert: 4A System monitoring studies 618A Minister to notify system monitoring studies The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette , specify— a 1 or more system monitoring studies that registered schools must participate in, if selected (a notified study ); and b the dates on which the schools must participate in those studies. 618B Registered school must participate in system monitoring studies 1 The following persons must ensure that a registered school participates in a system monitoring study notified under section 618A if the school is selected to take part in that study: a in the case of a State school, the board of the school: b in the case of a charter school, the sponsor: c in the case of a private school, the managers. 2 If a registered school is selected to take part in a notified study, persons in that school holding a teaching position and students selected to participate must make best endeavours to answer questions associated with the study. 3 However, subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to— a a specified kura board: b a registered school that does not provide instruction in the language of the notified study: c a registered school that has been granted an exemption under section 618C . 618C Minister may grant exemption 1 The Minister may, by notice, exempt a specified registered school from the obligation to comply with section 618B(1) and (2) . 2 The Minister may grant the exemption only if— a the Minister is satisfied that— i participating in the study would cause undue hardship to the school, its staff, or students; or ii there has been an unforeseen event affecting the school, its staff, or students; or b the Minister considers there is another acceptable reason for granting the exemption. 3 The Minister may grant the exemption unconditionally or subject to any conditions that the Minister may specify in the notice. 4 The exemption notice must— a identify the specified school that is exempt from the obligation to comply with section 618B(1) and (2) ; and b give reasons for the exemption. 47 New subpart 5A of Part 6 inserted After section 621, insert: 5A Provisions relating to Director of Regulation 621A Director of Regulation 1 The chief executive of the Education Review Office (the chief executive ) must appoint a person to be the Director of Regulation. 2 The chief executive must be satisfied that the person has the appropriate experience and expertise to perform and exercise the functions, duties, and powers of the Director of Regulation. 3 The person must be employed by the Education Review Office, but at the time of appointment— a need not be a current employee of the Education Review Office; and b must not also be the Chief Review Officer. 4 When performing or exercising a function, duty, or power under this Act, the Director— a does so as an employee of the Education Review Office; but b must exercise independent judgement if this Act requires the Director to do so (for example, if there is a requirement to act independently of the Minister or any other person). 621B Functions of Director of Regulation 1 The functions of the Director of Regulation are to— Early childhood education aaa carry out the functions referred to in section 27B: Private schools a require the managers of a private entity that is not registered under section 214 to apply for registration as a private school if the Director considers that the entity is operating as a school ( see section 213): b approve forms for the purposes of applications for provisional registration under section 214: c make decisions on the provisional and full registration of entities as private schools in accordance with Schedule 7: d take actions against private schools in accordance with Schedule 7: e receive notifications under clause 8 of Schedule 7 that a private school is to cease to operate: f prosecute, as the Director considers appropriate, offences under section 249: g authorise regulatory officers to exercise powers under section 628 : Hostels h help to ensure the safety of students who board at hostels, including by— i making decisions on the issue, suspension, cancellation, and replacement of licences for hostels; and ii authorising persons under section 632 to exercise the powers set out in section 631; and iii prosecuting, as the Director considers appropriate, offences under regulations relating to hostels made under section 643 of this Act: General i carry out any other functions conferred or imposed on the Director under this Act or any other legislation: j publish the methods by which the Director will manage any conflicts or potential conflicts between the Director’s regulatory functions under paragraphs (aaa) to (i) and the Chief Review Officer’s monitoring, evaluation, and review functions under this Act. 2 However, the Ministry is the Minister’s principal policy adviser on matters relating to early childhood education, private schools, and hostels. 621C Regulatory officers The Director of Regulation— a may designate a suitably qualified person (whether or not an employee of the Education Review Office) as a regulatory officer for the purpose of performing functions and exercising powers in relation to private schools; and b must ensure that the person has a certificate to that effect, in a form approved by the Director. 621D Delegation of Director’s functions, duties, and powers 1 The Director of Regulation may, either generally or specifically, delegate to a person any of their functions, duties, or powers. 2 A delegation— a must be in writing; and b may be revoked at will in writing; and c may be subject to instructions or conditions. 3 Despite subsection (1) , the Director of Regulation— Delegation to person within public service who is not Education Review Office employee a may delegate their functions, duties, or powers to a person described in subsection (4) only if— i the chief executive of the Education Review Office consents in writing to that delegation; and ii the delegation is for a specified period; and Delegation outside public service b may delegate a clearly identified function, duty, or power to a person outside the public service only if— i the chief executive of the Education Review Office consents in writing to that delegation; and ii the delegation is for a specified period; and iii the Director is satisfied that any conflicts of interest will be avoided or managed; but c must not delegate— i a function, duty, or power to a person who is required to be provided with or may receive grants under section 548; and ii the general power of delegation. 4 For the purposes of subsection (3)(a) , the person is a person who— a is not an employee of the Education Review Office; but b is a public service employee or an individual working in the public service as a contractor or as a secondee from elsewhere in the State services in relation to a function of the public service. 5 A person to whom any functions, duties, or powers are delegated may perform or exercise those functions, duties, or powers in the same manner, subject to the same restrictions, and with the same effect as if they had been conferred on them directly and not by delegation (subject to any general or special directions given or conditions imposed by the Director). 6 A person who purports to act under any delegation is, in the absence of proof to the contrary, presumed to be acting in accordance with the terms of the delegation. 6A The Director of Regulation must report on the effectiveness of the performance or exercise of each function, duty, or power delegated under subsection (3)(b) in the annual report of the Education Review Office (prepared in accordance with section 43 of the Public Finance Act 1989) that relates to the financial year in which the function, duty, or power is performed or exercised. 7 In this section,— public service has the meaning given in section 10 of the Public Service Act 2020 public service employee has the meaning given in section 65 of the Public Service Act 2020 State services has the meaning given in section 5 of the Public Service Act 2020. 48 Section 628 replaced (Powers of entry and inspection) Replace section 628 with: 628 Powers of entry and inspection Entry in respect of registered schools 1 The Secretary may authorise a person in writing to exercise the powers in subsection (2) . 2 A person holding an authorisation under subsection (1) may, at any reasonable time,— a enter and inspect a registered school: b inspect, photocopy, print, or copy onto a storage device a document (whether held in electronic or paper form) that the person believes on reasonable grounds to belong to the board, sponsor, or manager of the school: c remove a document described in paragraph (b) , whether in its original form or as an electronic or a paper copy. Entry in respect of private schools 3 The Director of Regulation may authorise a regulatory officer in writing to exercise the powers in subsection (4) . 4 A regulatory officer holding an authorisation under subsection (3) may, at any reasonable time,— a enter and inspect a private school: b inspect, photocopy, print, or copy onto a storage device a document (whether held in electronic or paper form) that the regulatory officer believes on reasonable grounds to belong to the manager of the school: c remove a document described in paragraph (b) , whether in its original form or as an electronic or a paper copy. Requirements for exercise of powers of entry and inspection 5 An authorisation under subsection (1) or (3) must contain— a a reference to this section; and b the full name of the person authorised; and c a statement of the powers conferred on that person by this section. 6 A person exercising a power under subsection (2) or (4) must have the appropriate written authorisation and evidence of identity, and must produce them to the person in charge of the premises concerned (or the person having possession or control of the documents concerned)— a on first entering the premises; and b whenever subsequently reasonably required to do so by the person in charge. 7 If any documents are removed from a school under subsection (2)(c) or (4)(c) , the person who removes the documents must— a leave at the school a list of the documents removed; and b return the documents, or a copy of them, to the school as soon as practicable unless to do so would prejudice any investigation being or to be carried out by the Ministry or the Education Review Office. 8 In this section, inspect , in relation to a school, includes— a accessing the written and recorded work of students enrolled there; and b meeting and talking with students enrolled there. 49 Section 629 amended (Entry where private school suspected of being unregistered) In section 629(1), replace section 628(3) with section 628(1) or (3) . 50 Section 632 amended (Authorised persons) In section 632(1), replace Minister with Director of Regulation . 51 Section 635 amended (Entry and inspection powers elsewhere in Act) In section 635, insert as subsection (2): 2 The right of persons authorised by the NZSPA to enter and inspect education property and to carry out (or arrange for the carrying out of) any construction, necessary repairs, or maintenance is set out in section 517H . 51A New section 640A inserted (Regulations relating to long-term exemptions from enrolment) After section 640, insert: 640A Regulations relating to long-term exemptions from enrolment 1 The Governor-General may, by Order in Council, make regulations for the purposes of section 38(4A) . 2 Without limiting subsection (1) , the regulations may— a specify what a parent needs to report to the Ministry to maintain an exemption certificate under section 38; and b specify how frequently the report needs to be made; and c specify the manner and form of reports; and d set out any assessment requirements for a student to whom the exemption applies; and e provide for any other matter necessary for the administration of section 38. 3 Regulations under this section are secondary legislation ( see Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019 for publication requirements). 52 Schedule 1 amended In Schedule 1,— a insert the Part set out in Schedule 1 of this Act as the last Part; and b make all necessary consequential amendments. In Schedule 1, clause 114, replace the definitions of conversion date and converted school with: conversion date has the meaning given in section 10(1) converted school has the meaning given in section 10(1) In Schedule 1, clause 152(1), after 162 , insert (other than clause 155A ) . In Schedule 1, after clause 152(1), insert: 1A Clause 155A applies during the period beginning on 6 July 2026 and ending on the close of 31 December 2027 . In Schedule 1, after clause 155, insert: 155A Industry skills board may be part of secondary–tertiary programme 1 Despite clause 1(1) of Schedule 8, the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette , recognise as a provider group of secondary–tertiary programmes a group of organisations that includes 1 or more industry skills boards that provide training activities. 2 Despite clause 5 of Schedule 8, the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette , recognise as a lead provider of secondary–tertiary programmes an industry skills board that provides training activities. 53 Schedule 3 amended In Schedule 3, clause 2(d), replace section 479(1)(e) with section 480A(1)(a) . In Schedule 3, clause 10(2)(c), replace Teaching Council under section 479(1)((j) with Secretary under section 480A(1)(c) . In Schedule 3, clause 10(4)(b)(ii), (6)(a)(iv), and (6)(b)(iii), replace section 479(1)(j) with section 480A(1)(c) . 54 Schedule 6 amended In Schedule 6, after clause 2(4), insert: 4A Despite subclause (4), the Minister must accept an application to enter into negotiations for integration if required to do so under section 212ZEB . 55 Schedule 7 amended In Schedule 7, in the following provisions, replace Secretary with Director of Regulation in each place: a clause 1(1) to (3) and (5): b clause 4: c clause 6: d clause 8: e clause 9: f clause 10(1) to (3): g clause 11: h clause 12(1) and (2). In Schedule 7, replace clause 1(4) with: 4 The Director of Regulation may require a further assessment, in addition to the assessment under clause 9(2) , of a school that has its provisional registration renewed under subclause (3). In Schedule 7, clause 1(5), replace a review with an assessment . In Schedule 7, clause 4(1), replace Secretary’s approval with approval of the Director of Regulation . In Schedule 7, in the cross-heading above clause 8, replace Secretary with Director . In Schedule 7, in the heading to clause 8, replace Secretary with Director . In Schedule 7, in the cross-heading above clause 9, replace Review with Assessment and review . In Schedule 7, in the heading to clause 9, replace Review with Assessment and review . In Schedule 7, replace clause 9(1) to (4) with: 1 As soon as practicable after provisionally registering an existing school or a proposed school under clause 1(1), the Director of Regulation must inform the Chief Review Officer and the Secretary of the provisional registration. 2 The Director of Regulation must ensure that a regulatory officer assesses a school that is provisionally registered under clause 1(1)— a between 6 and 12 months after the provisional registration of the school; or b earlier, by agreement with its managers. 3 The Director of Regulation must ensure that a regulatory officer conducts a further assessment of a school that has had its provisional registration renewed under clause 1(3). 3A The Director of Regulation must ensure that a regulatory officer periodically conducts an assessment of a fully registered private school. 4 The Director of Regulation must ensure that a regulatory officer who conducts an assessment under subclause (2), (3), or (3A) — a prepares a written report on the assessment that includes information about— i whether the school meets the criteria for registration as a private school; and ii the areas in which improvement is required, if the school does not meet the criteria; and b gives a copy of the report to the school’s manager. In Schedule 7, repeal clause 9(7). In Schedule 7, in the cross-heading above clause 10, replace Secretary with Director . In Schedule 7, in the heading to clause 10, replace Secretary’s with Director’s . In Schedule 7, clause 10(1)(b), replace a review with an assessment . In Schedule 7, after clause 12(2), insert: 3 As soon as practicable after cancelling the registration of a private school, the Director of Regulation must notify the Secretary of the cancellation. 55A Schedule 11A amended In Schedule 11A, after clause 7(b), insert: c paying remuneration to the chairperson of the Federation Committee at a rate determined by the Minister in accordance with the fees framework referred to in clause 17(3) of Schedule 11. 56 Schedule 19 amended In Schedule 19, replace clause 1(1) and (2) with: 1 The term of office of an appointed member of the Teaching Council is 3 years or a shorter period as specified by the Minister in the member’s notice of appointment. 2 An appointed member may be reappointed for 2 more terms. In Schedule 19, repeal clause 2. In Schedule 19, replace clause 3(1) to (6) with: 1 The Minister may, at any time and entirely at the Minister’s discretion, remove a member of the Teaching Council from office. 2 The removal must be made by written notice to the member. 3 The notice must state the date on which the removal takes effect, which must not be earlier than the date on which the notice is received. 4 A copy of the notice must be given to the Teaching Council. 5 The Minister must notify the removal in the Gazette as soon as practicable after giving the notice. In Schedule 19, clause 4(1), delete or elected . In Schedule 19, replace clause 5(2) to (4) with: 2 If an extraordinary vacancy occurs, the Minister may appoint a replacement or leave the vacancy open. 3 A person appointed to fill an extraordinary vacancy holds office only for the remainder of the vacating member’s term. 57 Principal Act Section 58 amends the Crown Entities Act 2004. 58 Schedule 1 amended In Schedule 1, Part 1, table, insert in its appropriate alphabetical order: New Zealand School Property Agency 59 Principal Act Section 60 amends the Ombudsmen Act 1975. 60 Schedule 1 amended In Schedule 1, Part 2, insert in its appropriate alphabetical order: New Zealand School Property Agency 61 Consequential amendments Amend the legislation specified in Schedule 2 as set out in that schedule. 62 Revocation The Public Service (Chief Executive for School Property) Order 2024 (SL 2024/226) is revoked. 1 New Part 10 inserted into Schedule 1 10 Provisions relating to Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Act 2025 204 Interpretation In this Part, amendment Act means the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Act 2025 . 1 Transitional provisions relating to transfer of Teaching Council functions 205 Interpretation In this subpart,— commencement date means the date on which this subpart comes into force transferred function means a function of the Teaching Council that, on and after the commencement date, becomes a function of the Secretary under section 480A(1) . 206 Consequences of transfer of functions of Teaching Council to Secretary On and after the commencement date,— a information (including personal information) held by the Teaching Council in relation to a transferred function before the commencement date is to be treated as having been held by the Secretary; and b anything done or omitted to be done or that is to be done by, or in relation to, the Teaching Council in relation to a transferred function must be treated as having been done or omitted or to be done by, or in relation to, the Secretary; and c the Secretary may complete any matter or thing that would, but for the amendment Act, have been completed by the Teaching Council; and d a reference to the Teaching Council (whether express or implied) in legislation (other than this Act), proceedings, or other documents must, in relation to a transferred function, be read as a reference to the Secretary unless the context otherwise requires. 207 Code of conduct, standards, and criteria 1 This clause applies to— a a code of conduct established or maintained under section 485 (as it read immediately before the commencement date) and in force before the commencement date; and b standards or criteria issued under section 479 (as it read immediately before the commencement date)— i in force immediately before the commencement date; or ii that come into force after the commencement date. 2 The code of conduct continues in force on and after the commencement date and must be treated as if it were issued under section 485 (as amended by the amendment Act). 3 The standards and criteria must be treated as if they were issued under section 480A . 2 Transitional provisions relating to membership of Teaching Council 208 Interpretation In this subpart, commencement date means the date on which this subpart comes into force. 209 Membership of Teaching Council 1 This clause applies to members of the Teaching Council holding office under section 475(1)(b) immediately before the commencement date. 2 The members remain in office until replaced in accordance with this clause ( see clause 4(1) of Schedule 19). 5 As soon as is reasonably practicable after the commencement date, the Minister must appoint members to the Teaching Council in accordance with section 476. 6 All previously appointed members of the Teaching Council cease to hold office when the Minister appoints the members (regardless of the number of members appointed by the Minister). 3 Transitional provisions relating to replacement of converted schools 210 Employees of converted schools 1 This clause applies to an employee— a who is employed by a sponsor at a converted school that is or is to be replaced by a State school under section 212ZEB ; and b who applies in writing for an equivalent position at that State school. 2 The employee must be offered the equivalent position unless— a another employee to whom this clause applies is appointed to that position; or b the employee’s appointment would contravene section 92 or 93. 3 An employee appointed to an equivalent position is not entitled to receive any payment or other benefit on the ground that the position held by the employee in the converted school has ceased to exist. 4 This clause overrides anything to the contrary in— a a relevant employment agreement: b Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act 2000: c sections 603 and 604. 5 In this clause, equivalent position means employment that, relative to the employee’s current position,— a involves comparable duties and responsibilities; and b is in the same general locality or a locality within reasonable commuting distance; and c is on terms that treat the period of service with the sponsor of the converted school (and every other period of service recognised for the purposes of the previous position as continuous service) as if it were continuous service with the education service. 4 Transitional provisions relating to transfer of private school and hostel functions of Secretary and Minister 211 Interpretation In this subpart,— commencement date means the date on which this subpart comes into force transferred functions means the following functions of the Secretary and the Minister that are transferred to the Director of Regulation on and after the commencement date: a the functions of the Secretary under sections 213, 214, and 249, and Schedule 7: b the functions of the Secretary under regulations relating to hostels made under section 643: c the function of the Minister under section 632. 212 Consequences of transfer of private school and hostel functions of Secretary and Minister to Director of Regulation On and after the commencement date,— a information (including personal information) held by the Minister or the Secretary in relation to their transferred functions before the commencement date is to be treated as having been held by the Director of Regulation; and b anything done or omitted to be done or that is to be done by, or in relation to, the Minister or the Secretary in relation to their transferred functions must be treated as having been done or omitted or to be done by, or in relation to, the Director of Regulation; and c the Director of Regulation may complete any matter or thing that would, but for the amendment Act, have been completed by the Minister or the Secretary; and d a reference to the Minister or Secretary (whether express or implied) in legislation (other than this Act), proceedings, or other documents must, in relation to their transferred functions, be read as a reference to the Director of Regulation unless the context otherwise requires. 4A Transitional provisions relating to Director of Regulation 213 Interpretation In this subpart,— commencement date means the date on which this subpart comes into force ECE functions means the functions referred to in section 27B (as it read immediately before the commencement date) that are transferred to the new Director of Regulation new Director of Regulation means the first Director appointed under section 621A previous Director of Regulation means the Director appointed under section 27A (as it read immediately before it was repealed by section 5A of the amendment Act). 214 Consequences of transfer of ECE functions On and after the commencement date,— a information (including personal information) held by the previous Director of Regulation in relation to their ECE functions before the commencement date is to be treated as having been held by the new Director of Regulation; and b anything done or omitted to be done or that is to be done by, or in relation to, the previous Director of Regulation in relation to their ECE functions must be treated as having been done or omitted or to be done by, or in relation to, the new Director of Regulation; and c the new Director of Regulation may complete any matter or thing that would, but for the amendment Act, have been completed by the previous Director of Regulation; and d a reference to the previous Director of Regulation (whether express or implied) in legislation (other than this Act), proceedings, or other documents must, in relation to their transferred functions, be read as a reference to the new Director of Regulation unless the context otherwise requires. 5 Transitional provisions relating to NZSPA 215 Interpretation In this subpart,— affected employee means an employee whose position ceases to exist in the Ministry as a result of a transferred function Chief Executive for School Property means the functional chief executive for school property listed in Schedule 5 of the Public Service Act 2020 commencement date means the date on which subpart 5A of Part 5 (as inserted by the amendment Act) comes into force equivalent position means employment that, relative to the employee’s current position,— a involves comparable duties and responsibilities; and b is in the same general locality or a locality within reasonable commuting distance; and c is on terms and conditions of employment that are no less favourable than those that applied to the employee immediately before the offer of an equivalent position (including any service-related, redundancy, and superannuation conditions); and d is on terms that treat the period of service with the Ministry (and every other period of service recognised for the purposes of the previous position as continuous service) as if it were continuous service with the NZSPA transferred functions means functions carried out by the Ministry’s school property unit and the Chief Executive for School Property that become functions of the NZSPA on and after the commencement date. 216 Consequences of transfer of functions 1 On and after the commencement date,— a information (including personal information) held by the Ministry or the Secretary in relation to transferred functions before the commencement date is to be treated as having been held by the NZSPA; and b all rights, liabilities, entitlements, and engagements of the Crown, the Ministry, or the Secretary in relation to transferred functions become the rights, liabilities, entitlements, and engagements of the NZSPA; and c anything done or omitted to be done or that is to be done in relation to transferred functions by, or in relation to, the Crown, the Ministry, or the Secretary must be treated as having been done or omitted or to be done by, or in relation to, the NZSPA; and d the commencement, continuation, or enforcement of proceedings by or against the Crown, the Ministry, or the Secretary in relation to transferred functions may instead be commenced, continued, or enforced by or against the NZSPA without amendment to the proceedings; and e the NZSPA may complete any matter or thing that would, but for the amendment Act, have been completed by the Crown, the Ministry, or the Secretary; and f a reference to the Crown, the Ministry, or the Secretary (whether express or implied) in a notice, instrument, agreement, deed, other document, or legislation must, in relation to transferred functions, be read as a reference to the NZSPA unless the context otherwise requires. 2 However, subclause (1)(f) does not apply to the following: a this Act: b an agreement, a deed, and any legislation resulting from negotiations relating to Te Tiriti o Waitangi claims made by Māori in relation to breaches, or alleged breaches, of Te Tiriti o Waitangi or its principles (unless the parties to the agreement or deed agree otherwise). 3 The transfer of a Ministry function to the NZSPA does not, of itself, affect— a a decision made, or anything done or omitted to be done, by the Crown, the Ministry, or the Secretary in relation to a transferred function before the commencement date; or b any other matter or thing arising out of the Crown, the Ministry, or the Secretary performing a transferred function before the commencement date. 217 Transfer of employees Options that may be offered to affected employee 1 An affected employee may be offered one of the following: a an equivalent position in the NZSPA (by the NZSPA): b other employment in the NZSPA (by the NZSPA): c redeployment within the Ministry (by the Ministry). When employee regarded as redundant 2 Subclause (3) applies to an affected employee who— a is not offered employment in the NZSPA; or b is not offered redeployment within the Ministry; or ba is offered, but does not accept, redeployment within the Ministry; or c is offered, but does not accept, a position in the NZSPA (whether or not it is an equivalent position). 3 The affected employee— a is regarded as redundant; and b ceases to be employed by the Ministry 1 month after the employee has been given written notice by the Secretary; and c unless subclause (4) or section 88 of the Public Service Act 2020 (other restrictions on redundancy payments) applies, is entitled to any redundancy payment in accordance with their employment agreement. 4 An affected employee is not entitled to receive a payment or other benefit (including redundancy compensation) on the ground that the position held by the affected employee has ceased to exist if the employee— a is offered an equivalent position in the NZSPA (whether or not the employee accepts the offer); or b is offered, and accepts, other employment in the NZSPA; or c accepts redeployment within the Ministry. No new employment 5 The employment of an affected employee by the NZSPA does not— a constitute new employment, including for the purposes of the Holidays Act 2003, the KiwiSaver Act 2006, or any service-related entitlements or benefits (whether legislative or otherwise); or b treat that employee as a new employee for the purposes of the Employment Relations Act 2000. Application of collective agreement 6 Subclause (7) applies if— a an affected employee accepts employment with the NZSPA; and b immediately before the commencement date, the affected employee was covered by a collective agreement (the earlier agreement ) between the Secretary and a union of which the employee was a member (the union ). 7 On the date the affected employee accepts employment with the NZSPA, the following apply: a the NZSPA and the union are parties to a new collective agreement: b the terms and conditions of the new collective agreement are the same as the earlier agreement, subject to any necessary modifications: c the employee is covered by the new collective agreement as long as they remain— i a member of the union; and ii in a role covered by that collective agreement. 8 Subclause (7) does not— a entitle an employee who was not covered by the earlier agreement to be covered by the new collective agreement; and b does not prevent the parties to the new collective agreement from varying or terminating the agreement in accordance with the terms of the agreement and other applicable law. Relationship with other legislation and employment agreement 9 This clause overrides— a Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act 2000; and b the following provisions in a relevant employment agreement: i an employment protection provision: ii a change management provision: iii a process or procedural provision, including notification. 218 Government Superannuation Fund 1 A person who, immediately before becoming an employee of the NZSPA, was a contributor to the Government Superannuation Fund under Part 2 or 2A of the Government Superannuation Fund Act 1956 is treated, for the purposes of that Act, as being employed in the Government service as long as the person continues to be employed by the NZSPA. 2 The Government Superannuation Fund Act 1956 applies to the person in all respects as if the person’s service as an employee of the NZSPA were government service. 3 Subclause (1) does not entitle a person to become a contributor to the Government Superannuation Fund if the person has ceased to be a contributor. 4 For the purpose of applying the Government Superannuation Fund Act 1956, the NZSPA is the controlling authority. 219 Transfer of agreements and deeds to NZSPA 1 This clause applies to an agreement (other than an employment agreement or an agreement or deed to which clause 216(1)(f) applies) or a deed made between, or on behalf of, the Crown and another person before the commencement date that— a relates to a transferred function; and b the Secretary notifies the NZSPA is an agreement or deed, or class or category of agreement or deed, to which this clause applies. 2 On and after the commencement date, the NZSPA is treated as a party to the agreement or deed in place of the Crown. 220 Transfer of property to NZSPA 1 This clause applies to property that— a is owned by the Crown immediately before the commencement date; and b relates to a transferred function; and c the Secretary notifies the NZSPA is property to which this clause applies. 2 On and after the commencement date, the property vests in the NZSPA. 3 Despite subclause (1) , this clause does not apply to Crown land held for education purposes or purposes incidental to those purposes. 221 Other consequences of transfer Nothing effected or authorised by clauses 215 to 220 — a places the Crown, the Ministry, the Secretary, or any other person in breach of contract or confidence or otherwise makes them liable for a civil wrong; or b gives rise to a right for any person to— i terminate or cancel or modify an agreement or deed; or ii enforce or accelerate the performance of an obligation; or iii require the performance of an obligation not otherwise arising for performance; or c places any person in breach of— i information privacy principle 11 set out in section 22 of the Privacy Act 2020; or ii the provisions of any other Act, or any secondary legislation, rule of law, or contractual provision prohibiting, restricting, or regulating the assignment or transfer of property or the disclosure of information; or d releases a surety wholly or in part from any obligation; or e invalidates or discharges any agreement or deed. 2 Consequential amendments In section 32(1), replace the foundation curriculum policy statements and the with any . In regulation 4, revoke the definitions of authority , licensed hostel , and owner . In the following provisions, replace authority with Director of Regulation in each place: 1 regulation 5(2): 2 regulation 6(1): 3 regulation 9(1) and (2): 4 regulation 12: 5 regulation 15(1), (1A), and (5): 6 regulation 16(1) and (2): 7 regulations 17 to 20: 8 regulation 21(3): 9 regulation 22(2): 10 regulations 23 and 24: 11 regulation 27(1): 12 regulation 28: 13 regulation 29(2): 14 regulation 31: 15 regulation 32(1) and (3): 16 regulation 33: 17 regulations 35 and 36: 18 regulation 37(1) to (3): 19 regulation 40: 20 regulation 41(1) and (2): 21 regulation 42(1): 22 regulation 43(1) and (2): 23 regulation 58(3) and (5): 24 regulation 61(2A): 25 regulation 70(2): 26 regulation 71(1): 27 regulation 72(2) and (3): 28 the Schedule. In the headings to regulations 12, 15, 18, and 41 replace Authority with Director of Regulation . In the headings to regulations 35 and 40, replace authority with Director of Regulation . In the heading to regulation 71, replace authority’s with Director of Regulation’s . In the following provisions, replace authority’s with Director of Regulation’s in each place: a regulation 15(5): b regulation 72. In regulation 21(2), delete foundation curriculum policy statements and national . In regulation 7(1)(d)(iii), replace the foundation curriculum policy statements and with any . In regulation 10(1)(a), delete foundation curriculum policy statements and .

Hansard

June 23, 2026

Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill — Third Reading · Full day report

Third Reading Hon ERICA STANFORD (Minister of Education) (20:06): I move, That the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill now be read a third time. I’m proud to speak to this legislation today and the difference this Government is making to educational outcomes for children and young people in this country as we lay the foundations for a world-leading education system that is focused on raising achievement and closing the equity gap. The bill is focused on lifting school attendance, identifying and supporting struggling schools earlier so that we can respond sooner, and better measuring of system performance and outcomes to focus the system on raising student achievement. The bill makes significant changes to how parts of the early learning and schooling systems are regulated. It transfers regulatory functions for early childhood education, school hostels, and private schools to the Education Review Office, bringing key regulatory functions into one agency to reduce duplication and improve efficiency, and to ensure the right tensions and accountabilities exist to deliver high-quality public services. The bill establishes the New Zealand School Property Agency—NZSPA—…
Read full Hansard debate
Third Reading Hon ERICA STANFORD (Minister of Education) (20:06): I move, That the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill now be read a third time. I’m proud to speak to this legislation today and the difference this Government is making to educational outcomes for children and young people in this country as we lay the foundations for a world-leading education system that is focused on raising achievement and closing the equity gap. The bill is focused on lifting school attendance, identifying and supporting struggling schools earlier so that we can respond sooner, and better measuring of system performance and outcomes to focus the system on raising student achievement. The bill makes significant changes to how parts of the early learning and schooling systems are regulated. It transfers regulatory functions for early childhood education, school hostels, and private schools to the Education Review Office, bringing key regulatory functions into one agency to reduce duplication and improve efficiency, and to ensure the right tensions and accountabilities exist to deliver high-quality public services. The bill establishes the New Zealand School Property Agency—NZSPA—as a Crown entity to manage, plan, build, maintain, and administer the education property portfolio. NZSPA will drive essential changes to ensure the system delivers effectively for schools and for students, including delivering warm, safe, dry, and functional classrooms and schools with a value-for-money approach to investment so we can continue to deliver more classrooms, upgrades, and maintenance projects. The bill also focuses on ensuring the system is set up to deliver a high-quality curriculum, alongside significant workforce changes to support a high-quality teaching workforce. High-quality teaching must be grounded in a high-quality, nationally consistent curriculum. The bill proposes to make the curriculum more effective and to futureproof it by requiring regular rolling curriculum reviews and updates and providing for one type of curriculum statement. Regular reviews will provide more certainty and predictability to the sector and avoid this overly disruptive complete overhaul every 20 years of the entire curriculum, which is incredibly disruptive for the sector. I want to address two main concerns that were raised during select committee—and, indeed, since—as misinformation has been spread. First is the incorrect assertion that the bill gives the Minister a new power to change the curriculum at will, and second is a claim that there are insufficient requirements for the Minister to seek expert advice and evidence. Both of these things are, in fact, the opposite of what the bill is doing. Since 1989, legislation has enabled the Minister of Education to make, amend, unmake, and revoke the national curriculum. This is a largely unconstrained power that can be exercised at any time, and, indeed, has been on many occasions. This bill constrains and limits this existing power by adding more criteria on how the curriculum is made, including the five-yearly predictable cadence of rolling reviews and updates. The new provisions say the Minister can only amend a curriculum statement if they consider the Secretary for Education’s report; information about the educational achievement of students in that learning area, subject, or wāhanga ako; and relevant evidence—for example, from new developments in educational research and international practice relating to the setting of curricula. This change means that there is more accountability and more transparency in the system and, in fact, a limit on the Minister’s ability to make changes—more so than there has been for many decades. The proposal combines the separate curriculum statements in to one type of curriculum statement, called the national curriculum statement. Currently, the Minister must split what is to be learnt, from how the curriculum is to be taught, learnt, and assessed, into two separate curriculum statements. This can make the curriculum difficult for schools and kura to use. The bill also introduces the ability for curriculum statements to vary by different groups of schools, instead of having to apply as a blanket requirement across all State schools. For example, it may be appropriate for schools with a special character to have different curriculum requirements. When I introduced this bill, it made significant system reform changes to the regulation of the teaching workforce. The bill did this by transferring responsibility for professional standard setting from the Teaching Council to the Ministry of Education, bringing us in line with many other jurisdictions, including England and Singapore. A large body of evidence in recent years has shown that our teachers enter the workforce with variable levels of knowledge and preparedness. Too much has been left to chance in ensuring teachers have the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience in the classroom to be effective and to support students to reach their full potential. Currently, responsibility for initial teacher education is split over multiple agencies, and the Minister has limited ability to affect change or drive improvements. Shifting responsibility for standard setting to the ministry will drive improvement in initial teacher education, which the sector has been calling for for many, many years. This will be through setting high standards for initial teacher education and ongoing teacher practice, making sure that these standards align with the changes in the curriculum, best practice and evidence, and other Government priorities. In alignment with this, the bill gives, in fact, more powers to the Teaching Council in monitoring and assurance of teacher education providers, giving them the tools they need to work with providers to ensure that programmes are meeting the standards. Setting high standards for teacher preparedness will only bring improvement if those standards are implemented with fidelity and consistency. I know how important it is that the Teaching Council is supported to effectively carry out their role in teacher registration. These changes provide better tension and accountability in the system. Finally, the bill also works to streamline the council and enable it to function effectively, by reducing the size of the council, and ensuring appointment processes put people on the governing council, and ensuring the appointment processes include people with the necessary skills and experience, including governance and regulator practice. The profession deserves a professionalised board that will not only have people with sector experience but also have experience in regulatory functions, disciplinary function, and governance skills, as well. These are important changes which will drive improvement in the council and teacher regulation. However, since the bill was referred to select committee, I’ve received two reports, both have highlighted serious shortcomings in the Teaching Council’s previous leadership, culture, purpose, and priorities—these were the Debbie Francis report and the Public Service Commission review. I’m particularly concerned about findings that show the council has an inadequate focus on child protection and safety, which should be its top priority. To address these concerns, during the committee of the whole House, I introduced five further changes to the Teaching Council. The first of these changes elevates the role of child safety, as you would expect, within the Teaching Council’s statutory purpose. The Teaching Council needs to be focused on safeguarding students through its core statutory role of teacher registration, competence, and conduct oversight. To achieve this, the council’s statutory purpose statement will be amended to clearly prioritise the safety and interests of students in the care and oversight of teachers. Secondly, there are changes to strengthen the council’s reporting and monitoring arrangements to provide external oversight and ensure it operates effectively and delivers on its priorities. The third change replaces the existing requirement for the council to “have regard” to relevant Government policy statements, with a requirement to “give effect” to them. This supports system coherence by aligning the council with Government direction and policy. However, I acknowledge that it is important that the council retains its independence when making decisions, with the scope of its regulatory functions on individual cases. To make this clear, the bill confirms that the Minister may not intervene in, or give any direction in, any specific case relating to registration, competence, or disciplinary decision-making. I’m also making further changes to the council’s governance structure, moving the council membership of seven to nine members to be all appointed by the Minister. The Debbie Francis report emphasised the importance of maintaining a high standard of governance. To give proper effect to this recommendation, I’m making the change to introduce stronger levers to address the poor performance of the council members and to be able to hold the council to account. At the same time, the Amendment Paper requires that three of the appointed members hold a minimum of five years education sector experience each. I know how important it is for the council to be grounded in sector expertise and responsive to the voice of the profession in carrying out its regulatory functions. The changes place a limit on the term of the council’s chief executive, in response to the recent findings that have highlighted the need for leadership of the council to be responsive to emerging challenges, and focused on carrying out core functions. Applying term limits to this position will be a useful tool to allow a periodic refresh of leadership style and approach. Together, these changes will ensure that the council prioritises child safety alongside the effective quality assurance of the professional teaching workforce. This is a package of reforms that builds on the work already under way by this Government to ensure that we have a world-leading education system underpinned by clear, coherent, and accountable structures that deliver for every learner. I commend the bill to the House. ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh): The question is that the motion be agreed to. Hon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) (20:16): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. As parents, we all want our children to do well, we want them to succeed at life, and we want the best for them. I don’t think that’s under debate at all. But this one-size-fits-all approach will leave many children behind, and that is our fear on this side of the House. The changes that have been swept through will risk, severely, meaning that many kids don’t keep up, aren’t having their needs met in the classroom, and fall further behind in school. Let’s have a look, to start with, at the changes that have been put through under the curriculum. What this legislation provides is that there is a specification never seen before in terms of the level and detail of this curriculum. A good example to demonstrate the level of prescription that we will be heading for in New Zealand, under this model, came from the Minister’s own visit, when she took a group of principals to Australia, to look at how explicit learning and how this type of curriculum would be operating in Australia. In one classroom, it was reported back, by more than one who attended that visit to see a model example of a classroom of how we were heading, where children sitting on the floor, looking at images on a screen were required to repeat back the image, and if they got that correct, a dog clicker, a dog instrument, was used to indicate that they got that correct. This is where we are heading—unsatisfied to many parents that there are instances where this type of teaching is being pushed out into New Zealand, where teachers are being given scripts, and parents lose control of what is actually happening in our classrooms, and having input into what’s happening. What happens—I’m interested to know—about a parent who has a child who we know has either learning- or neurodiversity, and we’re in a curriculum where you’re expected to meet an exact fact on an exact page in an exact time—and if that child isn’t keeping up, what happens? I asked that question to some of those providers. I asked some of the questions—“What happens if the child’s not keeping up?” The answer I got was “You turn the page—you turn the page and you keep going.”, and if that child can’t keep up, that’s the way it goes. What we want to be able to have is that I would like my child to have a relationship with their teacher, where they get them, where they understand them, where if my child wants to be learning a way of reaching them and an understanding of what keeps them interested and gets them reading and gets them learning. Reading from a script and teaching off a PowerPoint presentation is moving away from an ability where parents get our children being talked to and explained to and understood in terms of what they’re going through. There is no room for that in a curriculum that directly prescribes, step by step, how things are going to be happening in a classroom, and in a world where you can walk along the corridor and every classroom has the same picture and the same thing on the board as you walk down that corridor, where there’s no artwork on the walls—in some of these examples, there’s no artwork on the walls because that might distract the children. The second point I’d like to make is Kiwi content—where is the Kiwi content in this whole system? The benchmarking of this curriculum was not even offered up as a contract to New Zealand providers. We know that there are very willing and able New Zealand providers who are able to deliver the curriculum that is being prescribed in this bill, but they never even got an opportunity, because that went to Learning First in Australia, who have already told us that they helped source the curriculum information. They helped source that information and it was dumped at the Ministry of Education, and that is what our children are learning under this bill. That is what is being prescribed in this bill: that the Minister’s control over the curriculum is unprecedented in New Zealand’s history—absolutely unprecedented. So not only that but we have an Australian outfit who’s been generating the information for our curriculum. We have an Australian tool, the Student Mentoring, Assessment and Reporting Tool (SMART) tool, which is coming in to check it, and it’s also going to be putting the data into all those schools, and where is that data kept? Well, if we look, as parents, at the parent information about that SMART tool, it says it’s kept safe here in New Zealand, but the information going out to school leaders says it stored in Australia, so I’m still at an odds to know as a parent where my child’s data is going to be stored. In terms of Kiwi content, we should be proud to be New Zealanders. We have content that our children are learning that they are proud to be who they are, we know our stories, and this should be part of our education system. This bill moves away from a system where we are Kiwis and we’re proud to be Kiwis and we teach our children about our history and who we are and our place in the world. All of that has been removed from our curriculum, and, sadly, it takes us backwards. I believe—I genuinely believe—that education is more important than politics. I do believe that it’s greater than that, and that is why, seeing the changes that have been made by the Minister to the Teaching Council and also to ERA, is absolutely astounding. We know for a fact that the Minister attended the farewell of the new appointee to the Teaching Council, David Ferguson. We’re still unaware how someone who was so deeply conflicted could have remained in that role for such a long period of time. Someone who received well over $5 million of Government funding to set up his own private teacher-training institute was able to sit in on meetings deciding where the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers were going to be able to carry out the teacher training. The whole shift under teacher training away from ITE and into on-site training happens to have really favoured someone who’s done a lot of work for the Minister in making these reforms actually occur. So we still don’t know. I think the conflict’s got so great and that’s why David Ferguson was moved from the Teaching Council into the Education Review Office (ERO). Before we move away from the Teaching Council, I would like to highlight that the Amendment Paper tabled—the one that held everything up because the home-schooling bit didn’t go down so well, but the other bit that probably shouldn’t have gone down so well was the part that removed the last three democratically elected positions from the Teaching Council without any consultation with anybody. It didn’t even get to go to select committee for submitters to be able to have their say about that. Those last three democratically elected positions were removed by the Minister in her Amendment Paper, at the eleventh hour, without any input or any submissions from the New Zealand public: no parents, no teachers, no students, no one got to have a say on that. After that occurred, we had the announcement that instead of David Ferguson being head of the Teaching Council, he was going to be moving to ERO, the Education Review Office. So this is the new, I guess, enforcer of the way that we’re going to be moving forward under this bill, which is that those schools that aren’t complying with the boxes and the ticking off in the curriculum and meeting all the requirements that kids have to do on each day, and meet those things and fix that—if they’re not doing that, they’re going to be ranked. New Zealand’s going to have all their schools ranked, and those schools that are not achieving, those schools that aren’t meeting those metrics that will be set down, will be publicly labelled as schools of concern. Instead of assisting schools or providing resources with attendance, and providing resources with supporting our communities to help assist, we’ve got this punitive way of penalising those communities even further. I think it’s important to note that it is those communities that are struggling with the cost of living more so than any others. Those communities are already having a tough time being able to pay the bills and being able to make ends meet. Their lives will be made even worse under legislation which is actually determined to punish people who are having a really tough time. We know attendance is part of it. We know from good information and research that some of those kids at high school actually go out and have to work a second job to be able to make ends meet and be able to pay rent and pay for food. So instead of actually addressing some of those underlying drivers of why children might not be attending school, this system looks at penalising them and driving them down further. We will see, as a result of this bill, once they are ranked, that those ones at the bottom who are schools of concern, are able then to be taken over by charter schools. This legislation also makes the amendment that charter schools can now start up a chain. You can purchase a whole lot and have a chain of charter schools. And do you know what? I think the Minister is going to get her wish of the increased Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores, New Zealand’s international rankings, because all those schools, once they are charter schools, will fall off the bottom. That will mean that New Zealand will rise up in the PISA rankings, and “Oh, we’re all doing well, aren’t we?” Well, there’s a bunch of other kids who aren’t even getting their basic needs meet. There is nothing in this bill that addressing inequality. There is nothing in this bill about addressing the equity. Because if you really want data, if you really want to use the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, the one story it tells is that the big driver is inequality in New Zealand. That’s what stops educational achievement. The sad thing is that this bill drives a wedge right down the middle of New Zealand and it says, “If you’re all right, if you’re doing OK and you’re well and you’re great, big tick, go to the top.” In fact, we’ll give you A+ under our new system of NCEA. No B+, no C+, but you guys get an A+, and the rest are left to make it even harder and struggle even further. That is why this is a sad, one-size-fits-all bill that does not serve the needs of New Zealand children. Dr LAWRENCE XU-NAN (Green) (20:26): Thank you. Madam Speaker. The Green Party will not be supporting this bill because not only is this bill deeply problematic from its inception but it’s also full of ironies. Let’s start with the curriculum. The Minister talks about the fact that they’re not introducing anything new in this curriculum. Let’s look at the wider context. Every week we get emails from teachers, experts, and principals saying how the junior curriculum isn’t working, how it is full of mistakes, how it is written by AI, and how it is written by people from overseas. There is no clarity on what is happening to Phase 1 and Phase 4 of the curriculum development while Phase 5 is going. We get correspondence from secondary schools, teachers, principals, parents, and experts saying, “Why are the curriculum changes happening at the same time as what we’re seeing with the qualifications and the scrapping of NCEA?” That’s just one example. Isn’t it ironic that the Minister is talking about how she’s doing anything new, yet she has stopped listening to the sector to the point that anything she has put forward has zero trust from the sector. Isn’t it ironic, don’t we think? A little too ironic— Hon Member: Do you think so? Dr LAWRENCE XU-NAN: Yeah, I really think so. Let’s continue on and talk about other parts of this. Let’s talk about the Teaching Council. On the one hand, the Minister and the Government talk about how much they care about our teachers and what amazing jobs our teachers are doing. Well, first of all, let’s just refresh the fact that in the entirety of the media stand-ups the Minister did on certain parts of this—the NCEA refresh being one of them—she didn’t teachers once. I have been calculating and I have been counting, but she didn’t mention teachers once. If you really trust our teachers, why would you poach— Katie Nimon: What about students? Dr LAWRENCE XU-NAN: Yeah, I wasn’t going to mention students, by the way. There’s no part in any of this where students were involved. Also, I’m not the Minister, but if you make me the Minister, yeah, I will mention more students. But isn’t it ironic that at the same time she talks about how much teachers are doing, she is taking the last ounce of independence away from teachers and the Teaching Council? We are seeing the most egregious attack on the teaching profession that we have seen in Aotearoa in a long time. Isn’t it ironic that the Minister keeps on quoting the Debbie Francis report as if somehow it is a gospel on why or how she substantiates the changes she’s made to the Teaching Council? But let’s bear in mind that the Debbie Francis report had no terms of reference. It had no specific methodology. It was written as if the recommendations were premeditated—and somehow that person can magically get appointed on to the Teaching Council. Who knew? Isn’t it ironic that when you are looking at a Government who talks about how much they are doing in education and talks about how much they are doing in phonics, yet it is the same Government who knows only how things are pronounced but not what it means? Isn’t it ironic that when we should be looking at evidence-based decision-making and listening to our experts, what we’re seeing is decision-based evidence-making by this Government in education? Let’s move on to other parts of this bill. One part of this bill is moving the Director of Regulation—which, by the way, there is only now possibly a permanent member as the Director of Regulation; previously it was the Acting Director of Regulation—without even knowing what this role is going to do. This role has been expanded and given more power and moved from the Ministry of Education, to the Education Review Office. That’s not good policy decision-making. Isn’t it ironic when the Government talks about student achievement, but, at the same time, in the last Curriculum Insights report, and the latest report in general, we have seen that there is the fear that under the current Government’s curriculum, maths achievement will go down, because of the way that they’re looking at standardisation and perpetuating the one-size-fits-all model that doesn’t really help our students most at risk, particularly from marginalised and vulnerable communities? Isn’t it ironic that the Government talks about attendance and, in this bill, is taking away principals’ ability to exempt students for genuine reasons for not attending school at the same time we’re seeing enjoyment of mathematics and enjoyment of literacy has gone down, and we’re seeing more people are leaving the State sector? Isn’t it ironic that the Government keeps on talking about how well they are achieving, and yet they will never disclose their figures? How often have we heard in this House when the Government talks about, “Well, we heard from one person. One principal has told me, in this one very selective email I’ve read.”? But yet, in all of the emails and correspondence to the Minister that we as education spokespeople in the Opposition have also been privy to and privileged to be CC’d into, we haven’t heard any mention of those correspondence. Isn’t it ironic that this Government and the Minister talks about how much they are trusting the sector and how much they are doing, while, at the same time, micro-managing the sector through these sweeping system reforms that potentially contradict Cabinet Manual 3.26? Yes, I have done my research. Isn’t it ironic that this Government talks about how well they are doing for Māori, yet they forget and neglect 97 percent of ākonga Māori that are in the English medium and made sure that they’d never succeed as Māori but only for Māori? Isn’t it ironic that any country we are looking at that has a world-leading education, it is a country that ensures that education is non-partisan, is not politicised, is not within one particular Minister’s grasp to be able to micro-manage the entire sector. but, in fact, trusting the sector and trusting the unions to get on with what they are experts in? Isn’t it ironic that when the Government talks about how much we’re failing in terms of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests and Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) and all of those system-monitoring tests, which are now mandated under this bill, at the same time forgetting that in TALIS reports, one of the things that Aotearoa New Zealand scored the lowest on is teacher’s autonomy and decision-making? Isn’t it ironic that the fact they talk about PISA results but don’t take into account the broader social and economic factors and the fact that other countries don’t take PISA seriously? In fact, they game PISA results because those kids are selected to take PISA tests, because those kids are doing after-school classes to 11 p.m. six, seven days a week, but yet they are treated like they are doing the same kind of work as everyone else. That is not the kind of benchmark that we should base our decision making on. The people who invented PISA said so themselves. Isn’t it ironic that the Government talks about knowledge-rich, but not analysis-rich, not critical thinking – rich? In fact, everything they are doing now, though it’s important for us to have that solid foundation, will be replaced by the very tools that this Government is promoting, when it comes to artificial intelligence and ChatGPT, which I know that Government members themselves are possibly using. Isn’t it ironic that when we expect our students to answer questions, to do assessments, and to do tests in an external exam situation, yet I have never seen any Ministers take a Cabinet Manual exam or a Standing Orders exam in three hours in a closed-book environment? At the same time we’re telling our students to answer truthfully and correctly, yet this Government spins and will say, “Well, what I’m telling you is that one plus one”—you can ask them, “What’s one plus one?” They’ll be like, “What I’m telling you is two plus three equals five.” Is that where our education system too should be at? Finally, it is ironic when we have experts and ministry giving advice to this Government, but then the Minister didn’t answer and didn’t take those answers. Who would have thought? It figures. CAMERON LUXTON (ACT) (20:36): Thank you, Madam Speaker. One of the things about the song “Ironic” is that Alanis Morissette did do a great ear worm there, but so many of the examples were not irony. The fact that that member just gave a whole list of which more than half were not actual irony shows maybe our education system has been failing for a lot longer than was previously thought. It is ironic that the member stands up and talks about how terrible a one-size-fits-all regime in education is, but doesn’t support charter schools—kura hourua—which find places for students and children in New Zealand who haven’t fitted into the mainstream system. Isn’t it ironic that the member, who talks about needing a solution to this one-size-fits-all mould, can’t bring himself to support a great idea like charter schools? In this bill, we have the multi-school charter school contracts, which enable successful schools to roll out and provide their services to more students and help more Kiwi kids get an education, while providing another solution. The unions and their mouthpieces don’t like it, but it is working. One other thing that I’ll just quickly draw the House’s attention to is setting up a school property agency. Schools are an important part of communities, and having it properly planned and managed enables the resources to build new schools to be opened up. In my neck of the woods, Ōmokoroa has required development, but it has been held up by the need for a school. When you have to have houses to supply students to a school and a school that needs to be existing before people want to buy those houses, you get in a catch-22. This Minister has done a great job of making sure that the buildings that are supplied are no longer these architectural masterpieces but are being done at an affordable rate that means we can build more schools, get more communities built, and have a place in New Zealand where students can get the education that they need. Thank you, Madam Speaker. ANDY FOSTER (NZ First) (20:38): Thank you, Madam Speaker. New Zealand First has always believed that education is an investment; in fact, that concept is one of our 15 founding principles, so it’s been around for quite a while with New Zealand First. We believe that education is a lifetime investment. It’s an investment in the futures of the individual learners and it’s also an investment in the future of our country. We want to make sure that young New Zealanders are able to support their own future, but also able to contribute to a better and more productive society, because we’re all about productivity. The data is very, very clear that educational outcomes have been going backwards, until this Government took office, for an extended period of time. Now, the Opposition on the other side thinks that everything was fantastic and they just want to keep on doing the same thing. In fact, time after time when we have debates on education, they keep on defending the status quo. But the reality is the status quo has been failing our young people, and so we have to make some changes. Under this Government—and I have to give particular credit to Erica Stanford—the results are turning around. This bill is about continuing that process. We are lifting participation. It’s not easy, but we’re doing that bit by bit because we need our young people at school. You can’t learn if you’re not there to learn, and we are lifting achievement. Now, there’s some jostling going on amongst us as friends at the moment, but we stand firmly shoulder to shoulder in fixing these basics—focusing on the basics—and the core skills of reading, writing, arithmetic. [Interruption] Yeah, I know. See that got them fired up. But the core skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic, they are the basics in education. And of course, science is on the way, really keen to see that, and we will need the skilled teachers to deliver that. We’re also making sure we’re investing in supporting those with learning challenges. That’s why $750 million has gone into learning support. We’ve already passed legislation to focus the education system on—first and foremost, God help us, on education. What a radical thought. But the Opposition, of course, opposed that as well. What is really important here is that the education system teaches vital skills and vital knowledge and we want education, not indoctrination; we want people to be able to be taught how to think, not what to think. Those things are very, very important, and to be able to intelligently question what is in front of you. Some of the things specifically in the bill, the Minister has already mentioned this, the process for reviewing the curriculum, setting out a rolling five-year process. That makes a lot of sense—very sensible. Secondly, the requirement to inform parents about the contents of proposed health education curriculum and specifically for the parents to be able to withdraw their young people if they feel appropriate. That’s very important to New Zealand First, because obviously we’ve had some issues there about indoctrination as opposed to education, which concerns us. The bill provides a place for micro-credentials. That’s something that many employers are keen to see and have talked to us about as well. We also note, the place of industry-developed courses in schools in the new certificate of education qualification system. That is very, very welcome as well. Look, if I just want to make one observation about the system as a whole, what seems clear is that every section of the education system says the one before it has failed. So the employers say that the universities are failing to deliver what they need. The universities are saying that secondary schools are failing to deliver what they need. The secondary schools are saying the primary schools are failing to deliver what they need. The primary schools are saying the early childhood education system is failing to deliver what they need. So something needs to be done to join these up and to make sure that each sector has a clear set of outcomes that it is required to achieve to be able to deliver for the ongoing education of our young people. The bill also clarifies the oversight process for schools having difficulties, clarifies and strengthens the charter school model, and make some changes to the Teaching Council. Look, I do want to just touch on this because it’s really, really important. You can’t have an education system that works properly if the teachers are not equipped to do the teaching in the first place. It was interesting, if I look at the skill requirements of the council, one of the things I don’t see in there is any requirement for knowledge about skills and teaching. I do wonder if that’s a gap in the system. I do like, though, the new section 478(c) which says, to “provide assurance about the quality of the initial teacher education programmes and their providers in order to ensure that graduates are prepared for the workforce.” Now, that really is a reflection that that is not always happening at the moment. That is critical. We must get that right because if we don’t teach the teachers properly, how can those teachers then teach the young people. Two other things to finish off with. First of all, the bill provides for the establishment of the New Zealand School Property Agency. Look, it makes complete sense to have a specialist agency to do this. It’s not an area of skill for the ministry nor for school boards and principals. We’ve seen that for many, many years. It’s interesting, as I chair the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, the Minister for Infrastructure stands in front of us and the Infrastructure Commission itself, they come in front of us and they say, “Well, look, a lot of these agencies don’t actually have the skill to deliver.” The Ministry of Education is one of those. And so it is good that we set up a specialist agency with the skills to be able to deliver those really, really expensive and important property outcomes. Because it’s really important we get here. The value for money is absolutely critical. We’ve got the Crown Infrastructure Delivery agency, which is now able to help agencies like health and education and so on. I do note that the cost of delivering a class from under this Government is now half what it was under the last Government, which means that we can deliver twice as many classrooms as they could for the same money. That is good. That is good value for taxpayer money, and has to be celebrated. I’m not sure that the Opposition’s ever given any credit whatsoever to the Government for doing it. If I can just finish off with one particular area, because it’s an area which is not in the bill—it’s an area which is not in the bill anymore. And that, of course, is that after the bill was reported back from select committee, the Minister, I understand, on the advice of the Ministry of Education, introduced Amendment Paper 583, and that included the powers to promulgate regulations to govern home-schooling. Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but we got really, really strong feedback. I had over 2,000 emails, which is quite a lot. It’s almost as many as the Palestinian issues. That’s a lot of emails, saying that people were concerned about this. And they were not angry, they were articulate, they were constructive. They gave us feedback. They told us their stories. They told us why they did home-schooling, why it worked for them. I really thank all these people who’ve sent these emails, but they were really concerned about, however inadvertently, the bypassing of the democratic process, the bypassing of their ability to make submissions to a select committee, to be heard, to be considered, even though the intention was that subsequent regulations were to be promulgated and consulted on. They said, “No, no, no, we need to be heard in the primary legislative process.” We thought that’s fair enough. They had real concerns that regulations, whether it was under this Government or any future Government, what those might do, what impact they might have on them, and on their children. Of course, what that, in a sense, says is that there’s a the level of trust in Governments, doesn’t matter it’s blue-led or red-led, but people are not always fully trusting. There was real desire for those people to be properly consulted with. So New Zealand First engaged with the home-school community, we agreed with them, we pushed back on the Minister, and I want to say thank you very much to Erica Stanford for pulling the plug on that particular element of this bill and for going back and thinking about that again. Democracy is not always quick. But there is an African saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.” I commend this bill to the House. HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE (Te Pāti Māori—Hauraki-Waikato) (20:46): [Authorised reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.] [Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.] Speaking on the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill, I often talk about how the fact that Māori education has only ever received 1 percent of the Budget consistently, no matter who is in Government, and yet we’ve achieved 100 percent pass rates, like kura at Ngā Taiatea and Ngā Tapuwae within the electorate of Hauraki-Waikato and throughout the motu. We have been consistently underfunded and under-resourced, yet we are over-excelling in the results that we have, and they relate directly to this education and amendment bill that I’ll be touching on in the debate tonight. There’s a huge demand for tamariki and rangatahi attending kura kaupapa, yet there’s a lack of supply and support from the Government or the system as a whole. Last week, I was asking—so if we’re talking on some of the points within this bill is talking on property and infrastructure. Last week, when we had scrutiny week, I asked the Ministers, Minister Erica Stanford and Minister David Seymour around following up on questions from this term around that there was a $30 million gap of underspend that could have gone towards catering to the 45 kōhanga reo classrooms that have not been yet developed. The reason why that’s so important is because kōhanga reo classrooms are often underfunded. They lack installation, they lack heating, they lack Māori classrooms. It’s hard for our tamariki to actually get into kōhanga reo purely because there’s 2,000 tamariki on the waiting list throughout the whole country. That’s often due to property infrastructure needs. If we are setting up a property infrastructure committee and ohu and rōpū, often tamariki in kura kaupapa Māori are put at the bottom of the list. For example, in this term, we saw $1 million go to one school, yet that was the overall budget for all kura kaupapa. So the inequities do show in this. We also asked around the curriculum. I followed up with the Minister of Education around $74 million put into the curriculum. Yet, what was that actually going to in terms of Māori knowledge and developing Māori curriculum? Not so much the translation of curriculum. That already exists, like in mathematics. Those are things that should be happening anyways—regardless; it’s not a tick-box for tamariki Māori to have. We want our own knowledge. We want to be in charge of how we deliver those and where we can deliver those curriculum, like taio, civics education, localised education, also iwi-led. We’ve just talked today with some of the Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group and their manifesto and how they want to carry that out. We’re also looking at how a one-size-fits-all model does not support kura kaupapa Māori. This has never worked for us. We know that small changes have been made across this term, such as, for context, the removal of Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, changes to the history curriculum in schools, less professional learning and development for teachers in bilingual and mainstream education, the environments and barnyard-style classrooms, the removing of NCEA assessment, with 2023 data showing that we have excelled in that with 100 percent pass rates, yet the lack of consultation with iwi leaders and Māori education leaders in partnership, and the removal of Te Tiriti o Waitangi at a board level and also Te Tiriti in the Education and Training Act 2020, taken altogether, is a one-size-fits-all model. On top of that, it is taking away the ability of what kura kaupapa Māori was established to do, and that was our ability to wānanga through our reo, our knowledge, and our education systems. Slowly, one by one, all of these legislations have been taken out from places like the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill that we have here today. Nō reira, tēnā koe, Madam Speaker. FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ (Green) (20:51): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am thrilled, happy, and enthusiastic to be speaking against this bill, and I’m thrilled, enthusiastic, and happy, despite what my tone of voice and demeanour might suggest, for two reasons. The first is because this is not a great bill. It’s number one. It’s the main reason that I’m thrilled, happy, and ecstatic. The second reason is that we are polling at a record high right now, at 13 percent—17 MPs, the most MPs we’ve ever had. It shows that the Government did not get a Budget bounce from their Budget. This bill is emblematic of why this Government is losing support because of the way that they’ve introduced such undemocratic measures and sought to bypass the democratic will of the people through Amendment Paper 583, which is something that happened during the polling period when the polls were taking place. That’s the connection to this. Look, I want to acknowledge the home-schooling community for the massive effort that they made against the unilateral effort that Amendment Paper 583 would have made to set regulations in a unilateral way without going through any select committee process and without asking the people affected—the people, the parents, the teachers; well, the parents are the teachers in the home-schooling case; but the parents, the community, and the students who were most affected by this change. We have some further concerns that around this bill that have been echoed by various submissions around what this bill potentially enables. I’ll pull up the feedback from one of the select committee submissions around this. One of the things we’re most concerned about is the changes to the Teaching Council. Now, when it first went to select committee, we were already opposed to the proposals, and some of the submissions referred to the fact that the changes at that stage would reduce the number of elected representatives on the Teaching Council, but it’s gotten worse as it’s progressed. We’ve gone from reducing the number of elected members on the Teaching Council to having none at all. From our perspective, that is very concerning, and it’s very concerning within the context of the potential for politicising the sector through appointments to the Teaching Council and also through the changes in the bill which would give the Minister greater power to set the direction of the school curriculum. This was in amendments to section 90 and the insertions of new sections 90A and 90B when it was still going through the select committee stage at that stage. We’re concerned about the politicisation of what should be something that is set through expert independent advice, because we know that the politicisation of the education system and politicisation of the science system can lead societies down very dark paths of potential indoctrination and potential controlling of the curriculum to suit people’s political agenda. We have opposed that, and we’ve been consistent in opposing that. One of the other concerns that we also share with the people who have submitted is the changes to the School Property Agency. Now, it’s not like we’re inherently opposed to the changes per se. To continue the theme of my colleague Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan, we just think it’s a little bit ironic that this Government, which has prided itself on public sector consolidation, has actually, at the same time as they’ve been consolidating so many ministries into the mega-ministry of the Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport, created all these random agencies like the School Property Agency, like the Ministry for Regulation, and like the—what’s the other one?—the Charter School Agency. It’s kind of an ironic inversion of it. At the same time as well, when they’re complaining about public sector reform and public sector overreach, they’ve gone and created this new ministry, so we’re opposing this. KATIE NIMON (National—Napier) (20:56): Look, Madam Speaker, this bill is building on the work that we have already done to lift achievement—that’s right—provide a knowledge-rich curriculum, and provide warm and safe classes. It’s all part of our plan to fix the basics and build the future. There we go. I commend the bill. SHANAN HALBERT (Labour) (20:56): Thank you, Madam Speaker. There we have it: 15 seconds from the National Party chair of the Education and Workforce Committee—15 seconds. Incredible! Tonight, Labour opposes this—[Interruption] DEPUTY SPEAKER: I’m trying to hear the person who’s making the speech, please. SHANAN HALBERT: Thank you. I’ll start again, Madam Speaker. Hon Simeon Brown: I’m trying to hear some common sense. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I don’t know how you would hear, Minister. There’s so much noise behind you. SHANAN HALBERT: Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is the third reading, and there’s a lot of heckling coming from the other side, including from the Minister of Health and the 15-second contribution that was made by the chair of our Education and Workforce Committee, Katie Nimon. It’s incredible that, at this point of the Government’s cycle, they’re putting forward a bill that really doesn’t speak to the average New Zealander. It does nothing to make things better for children in our schools and kura. It takes our education system backwards. We talked about things that are ironic, but this Minister is one of the most controlling, power-grabbing Ministers that we see in one of the most controlling, power-grabbing Governments that this country has ever seen. For the next few minutes, let’s “Grip it up, everyone”, in the words of the Minister, and hear me out. The thing that’s important, after all of the debate in this House and in select committee, after mixed and a lack of consultation, and after all the speeches, the fundamental questions still remain: how will this legislation improve the experience of our children sitting in the classroom tomorrow? How will it improve the lives of our teachers that are struggling with their workloads? How will it help a principal trying to meet the needs of every learner in their school’s community? The Government, across this process, has never ever convincingly told us the answers to those fundamental questions. When I go out to my schools in my community in Northcote, nobody’s asking me for a restructure, and nobody’s asking me for education to be controlled by a Government or by Wellington. Parents are asking whether their child can access the learning support that they need and whether they can access it quickly enough. The teachers are asking how they can spend more time teaching and less time dealing with the administration and the bureaucracy that this Government is putting on top of them. Principals are asking how they can attract and retain the great staff that are in our system now. Families are asking how we make sure every child gets the best opportunities so that they can succeed. And so, when we talk about a “knowledge-rich curriculum”, we’re actually talking about a narrow curriculum that does not meet the needs of every learner that that principal, or that family, or that kura or school are trying to achieve the outcomes for. I visited Kauri Park School last week. They support children with additional learning needs, whether it be behavioural, whether it be literacy, whether it be other issues—pastoral care—that they are needing. They support students arriving with diverse language backgrounds. They support families dealing with the cost of living pressures that this Government promised to fix, but they haven’t fixed them. What they actually need is a whole lot of support. They need to know that this Minister, that this Government, is listening to the things that they are wanting them to achieve. Instead, Minister Stanford today is offering and responding to them with system reform, a restructure, and centralisation back to Wellington. This bill does say a lot about this Government’s priorities: more power concentrated at the centre; more ministerial control; less trust in professionals—less trust in our teachers, who deliver education every day. Minister Stanford likes to talk about accountability, but accountability should start with outcomes. Are more children getting the support that they need here and now? Are teacher shortages improving? Are schools better resourced than ever before? Are educational inequities reducing? I come back to the point, and my focus—the Labour Party’s focus—in education is about ensuring that all tamariki, every single child, is able to be at their best and to do well in a world-class education system. When I heard the discussion tonight about the school property management component, this is the part of this legislation that I’m semi-warm to. Do I think that it’s top of mind for schools? No, I don’t. Do I think that we need to invest in infrastructure better— Rima Nakhle: Clearly, you’re not speaking to enough schools. SHANAN HALBERT: What was that? Rima Nakhle: Clearly, you’re not speaking to enough schools. SHANAN HALBERT: Well, more than your MP, I am. Andy Foster: Well, you might have heard that property’s quite important to them. It swallows up most of their money. SHANAN HALBERT: When we look at the ways that we build schools—I heard from a New Zealand First MP that modular buildings are just something that came in under this Government. Where have you been—where have you been, New Zealand First? Andy Foster: I didn’t say anything about that; I said half the price—half the price you lot managed. SHANAN HALBERT: You did so, because the reality is, who’s the client here and who’s best to inform about the best learning environment be created in their school community? It’s the school—it’s the schools that have designed these environments with the Ministry of Education. That’s really, really important to retain. Where we can do it cheaper, we should do that, and there’s ways that have been explored over consecutive Governments in order to achieve that. This Government’s fascinated with charter schools, and, yes, we applaud every single school that is about raising achievement for our kids. Those are the things that we want to achieve. But do I believe that this child in our education system should receive more funding than this child in a public school? No, I do not. I stand against that, because— Carl Bates: Were you even at scrutiny week last week? SHANAN HALBERT: Carl Bates, if you add up the money, mate, if you add up the money of charter schools going into your public Whanganui schools—do the calculation for yourself. It’s unfair, it’s unjust, and it doesn’t enable opportunity for every child in our system. The “schools of serious concern”: the Education Review Office (ERO) has done this for a long time. That’s fine. When a school has been identified as having areas of concerns—issues, things that need to be changed—then they need the support to enable them to make those changes. What this does is it’s a punitive measure to publicly name and shame those schools so that—what happens? The roll goes down, the resourcing reduces, and, eventually, that school is no longer in a position to improve itself. That’s the reality of a punitive measure like the schools of serious concern. Then we get to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand reforms. It’s important to see, or track, the leadership of the Teaching Council into ERO, and I will be watching—I will be watching—how a principal from the North Shore goes on to lead the Teaching Council and then goes on to lead ERO, because somewhere in there, that person and this Minister have to be accountable for their decisions. The changes that are enacted in this bill to the Teaching Council take away representation. It takes away important voices from the sector, and it reduces membership and representation from 13 to about 7-9. It increases the Minister’s influence, the overreach—whoever the future Minister, she appoints more members to that council, and that doesn’t enable good representation from the sector or at grassroots. So, the question that remains tonight is: are these changes creating better outcomes for every single child in our system? CARL BATES (National—Whanganui) (21:07): What New Zealanders want is not an Opposition and a Green Party Opposition education spokesperson pontificating about educational outcomes; they want a Government that is delivering them. That is what this Government is doing. We are fixing the basics and building the future. I commend this bill to the House. Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour) (21:07): [Authorised reo Māori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.] [Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.] RIMA NAKHLE (National—Takanini) (21:12): When the Labour spokesperson for education got up and spoke a little while ago, the really disappointing thing for me, as a listener and an observer, is that it was clear that she had not even read the bill and didn’t even know what the bill contained. She referred to the bill only twice in her whole speech, and that’s a shame and that’s actually scary, going forward, that that’s the calibre of their education spokespeople. On this side of the House, we’re fixing the basics of the mess they left us with, for our children and building the future. I commend this bill to the House. Hon JAN TINETTI (Labour) (21:13): Well, the calibre of that last speech was quite questionable as well. I would have to say that, for someone that criticised the spokesperson for not mentioning the bill, I have no understanding of the bill from that particular speech. At this point in time, education is in turmoil in this country. We’ve got morale that’s really low, from our educationalists. We’ve got change after change after change that is hitting the sector in a major way. We’ve got a narrative that’s coming from the other side of the House that says these changes are necessary because we’re making changes that are increasing student achievement. Now, on this side of the House, if we could see that and if we could see that change was leading to a really good student achievement uplift, then maybe we would be in favour of that, but, unfortunately, we are not. We’re actually seeing a decline, and that is of a huge concern to the children and the future of this country. What does this Government do and what does this Minister do? They bring in a so-called systems reform bill, which is going to take things even more backwards than what we are currently seeing. It is of huge concern that we are seeing these changes being put through the House that are going to minimalise our educators’ voice in the system; that is going to question and put pressure on the public education system, rather than supporting it; that is going to put pressure on our early childhood education system; and that is putting ideological changes at the heart of what should be evidence-based decisions being made in the education sector. It is of huge concern to not only this side of the House but people that we are seeing on a daily basis that the education system is going backwards. [Interruption] I knew that we might get that response, so let’s have a look and see what the latest results are actually showing. Less than half of five-year-olds passed phonics tests after their first full year of schooling. The other side of the House has said that this is all about bringing equity into play. When we see that less than half are failing those tests, children in schools facing the most socio-economic barriers had a pass rate of just 25 percent—huge disparities that are happening and actually getting wider under this Government’s reforms. Ryan Hamilton: So just don’t measure it? Is that your solution? Hon JAN TINETTI: And then, when we hear them say over there that this side never measured it—who was the Government that introduced structured literacy and testing? They conveniently forget that it actually started with us. Carl Bates: So you like testing, or you don’t like testing? Hon JAN TINETTI: Mr Bates—through you, Madam Speaker, I would like to answer that side of the House, who said, “So you like testing?” We like the right assessments for the right children that will mean that they will actually learn more and that the teachers will know what they have to teach their children through the formative assessment approaches, rather than solely summative assessment approaches, which is what this bill is actually enforcing. This bill is a backward step in education. One of the biggest concerns that I have seen from this bill is the changes that are being made to the Teaching Council. This is actually, really, hugely concerning, in that we hear the Government talking about how they value teachers, but what they are, effectively, showing in this bill is that they do not value the professionalism of teachers at all. They are taking away teachers’ say in their own profession. One of the issues that we have in this country is that we have been through this many, many times: the place of the Teaching Council. The Teaching Council was set up to be the professional body of teachers, but the other side of the House, when they are in Government, consistently minimises that and undermines it by taking away teachers’ rights to vote for the people who are going to represent them. It’s this pendulum that we have: it goes from here, and it swings around to there. That is a huge concern that they do not see teachers as professionals— Hon Nicola Willis: National, forwards; Labour, backwards. Hon JAN TINETTI: The Minister of Finance is just confirming that, with what she has just said. They do not see teachers as professional and being able to be in charge of their own profession. What an absolute shocker coming from that side of the House. That’s exactly what this bill is doing: it is taking away that professional knowledge, that professional ability for teachers to see themselves as professional and be in charge of their own profession. They have no understanding of how to build that education sector and system, rather than what they’re doing, which is just using an ideological approach that is not based on evidence whatsoever. There is not one piece of evidence that backs up their approach—not one. That is the biggest concern that we have in this bill. There are so many other things in here, but I do want to talk about what’s happening in the early childhood sector and the regulatory functions that this bill takes away from the Ministry of Education and places in the Education Review Office. Now, not only is this a conflict within the system—it’s an absolute conflict to see that position come away from the Ministry of Education—but the whole way that this was done in this bill was really dodgy. When people were asked to look into this and to submit on this, they had no understanding what this looked like, because it wasn’t included in the bill at that stage. It was a really odd way of doing it. The whole legislative process was wrong, and the scrutiny that couldn’t happen because of that legislative process being wrong just upset the sector in a major way. It meant that we didn’t get the really broad viewpoints from different groups of people who would have otherwise given this a lot more scrutiny than what it got. We on this side of the House see potential and merit—maybe—in better aligning review and regulatory functions if it was done transparently with full sector consultation. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that full sector consultation, so we can’t say that this is something that’s going to make a positive difference, because it seemed to come from nowhere and we didn’t get that full oversight of what could happen. We didn’t get the academic input, we didn’t get the sector input at a great detail, because we just didn’t know what we were looking at and we didn’t have that transparency. What is happening with the regulations in early childhood is of concern. It is of huge concern that regulations full stop are being minimised, and this is adding to that concern that the sector has and the safety of children. This is a terrible bill, and we do not support it. Dr VANESSA WEENINK (National—Banks Peninsula) (21:23): It’s a pleasure to be the final speaker in this Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill. This is aiming to strengthen the performance and coherence of the education system, and by performance we mean strengthening educational outcomes. National is fixing the basics and building the future. I commend the bill. A party vote was called for on the question, That the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill be now read a third time. Ayes 67 New Zealand National 48; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8. Noes 55 New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te Pāti Māori 4; Ferris; Kapa-Kingi. Motion agreed to. Bill read a third time. Appointments

Documents and supporting material