4. NCEA—Review and ConsultationHon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of EducationNCEA—Review and Consultation4. Hon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of Education: Does he stand by his statement that Education is too important to be left to politicians"; if so is he confident that he is listening to all of the voices in the education sector?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): Yes absolutely; and yes in so far as practical constraints allow.Hon Nikki Kaye: If he is listening to the NCEA coalition of principals then will he agree today to extend the time line of the NCEA review given the concerns raised by this group of principals?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: There's a broad range of views amongst the principals including from the coalition of principals who took out a full-page advertisement in the newspaper over the weekend to express their views. What I have said in response to that is that at this point I'm not proposing to extend the time frame—there's still 2½ months to go on the consultation—but if at the end of that consultation period it is clear that people don't feel that they've had an opportunity to have their say or have their voices heard then I'm absolutely open to extending the time frame further.Hon Nikki Kaye: If he is listening to the coalition of principals will he ensure that there is greater balance on the ministerial advisory group given the concerns raised by this group?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: The ministerial advisory group have effectively done the job that they were appointed to do which was to produce the discussion document. We're now in a broad and open and public consultation period where we want everybody to have a say in that. That's being overseen by a group of principals and the Ministry of Education. The feedback we get through the consultation period is being analysed independently by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research. If the advisory group has a further role beyond the production of the discussion document then again I'm open to considering whether other voices need to be involved in that process.Hon Nikki Kaye: Why did he label these principals as having traditional views and is he dismissing their views because they're traditional?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: No I think that's actually a factual explanation of the views of some of the people who have expressed that. I want to be very clear that there is nothing wrong with that and I believe that traditional voices need to be heard in this process as I've made very clear over the weekend when I was asked about that. Other voices also need to be heard. I don't agree with the assertion put forward by the principals that the Government is placing too much emphasis on the voices of young people in this process for example. I think young people's futures are what we're talking about and they have every right to be heard in this. I absolutely reject the assertion put forward by one of those principals yesterday morning that this is a matter for adults to discuss.Jan Tinetti: What responses has the Minister seen from secondary school principals to the NCEA review?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: In addition to the feedback that I received over the weekend at the time the consultation document was released the Otago Secondary Principals' Association secretary Gavin Kidd said "I think there's general agreement that this is a step in the right direction and it's well overdue." Patrick Walsh principal of John Paul College said "The NCEA directly affects not only students and their parents but employers community groups business leaders sporting bodies and voluntary organisations to name but a few. If we want a high quality change we must first have quality engagement and feedback." I had not received any letters or emails from any of the current principals in the new principals NCEA coalition until this Sunday but I welcome their engagement.Hon Nikki Kaye: In light of the fact that in the last half an hour the NCEA coalition group grew to over 50 schools does he consider Massey High School and Northland College as having principals with traditional views?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: As I've been very clear some of the people on that group have very traditional views. There are a wide variety of views on the NCEA and I think it's very important that everybody with a view on the NCEA has an opportunity to be heard in this process.Hon Nikki Kaye: If he is listening to the coalition principals will he agree to personally meet with this group that now is over 50 schools; if not why not?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Up until they took out an advertisement in the newspaper over the weekend that group had not asked to meet with me. I have been very clear that I am open to engagement. For example I already had prior to the weekend meetings scheduled with the Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand where over 100 secondary school principals will be in attendance. The Secondary Principals Council have already held a meeting with 50 secondary principals from around the country and have already provided feedback on that. I have also in addition to that as a result of the request over the weekend set aside time—Friday two weeks from now—to meet with any secondary principals from Auckland who wish to meet with me. That's an open invitation and I'm more than happy to engage with any of them.SPEAKER: I'm just going to warn the Leader of the Opposition that the next time he interjects inappropriately he will have to withdraw and apologise."