Mahuta Nanaia: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Mahuta Nanaia: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 22 August 2012. Volume:683;Page:4625. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
7. 
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: How many of the 36 
 Person A Ministerial Inquiry 
 actions she has adopted will apply to non-registered teachers working in Partnership Schools? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education) 
: 
Tena koe Mr Speaker. Twenty-five actions or more could apply depending on the final contract let. Importantly every person in a partnership school will undergo extensive background and police checks. This includes all non-teaching and teaching unregistered and registered employees. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Given that teachers in charter schools may not have to be registered how will any of the 11 actions relating to teacher registration with the Teachers Council help prevent sex offenders from being employed as teachers at charter schools? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: And that is why I said 25 or more of these actions will apply of the 36 depending on the final contract let. Regardless all employees no matter what their status will be subject to police vetting and extensive background checks. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: How will making information about teachers’ name changes available to schools through the Teachers Council register help prevent charter schools from hiring sex offenders given that charter school teachers will not necessarily even have to be listed on the Teachers Council register? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Because we will specify in the contract when we are negotiating with charter schools how those checks and balances will be incorporated. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Is she—[ 
Interruption 
]  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I want to hear the question. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Is she aware that teachers are police vetted every 3 years when they have to reregister and can she assure the House that non-registered teachers working in charter schools will also be police vetted every 3 years? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Indeed they are often vetted more often than every 3 years and we will be expecting the same level of probity protection and safeguarding of all students in all schools. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: If there is no difference whatsoever in the vetting and background checks for non-registered charter school teachers why did officials warn the Minister last year that “There is the challenge of ensuring that students are not put at risk by mentors who are not necessarily subject to professional licensing.”? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: I think we need to distinguish between being unregistered and being unqualified because at the minute registration requires a registered person to hold a teaching qualification. We are talking about a whole range of other qualifications. At the moment in fact there is a whole number of people who are in teaching positions—early childhood educators volunteers teachers under the limited authority to teach tertiary educators trade course educators and staff at private training establishments—who are teaching but are not registered with the Teachers Council. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: I seek leave to table a document requested under the Official Information Act from the ministry stating its concerns regarding some of the risks involved in appointing non-registered teachers. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.