Barry Maggie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBarry Maggie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 24 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18781. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.MAGGIE BARRY (National—North Shore)to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made on the Government’s $359 million investment to raise student achievement?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education):Earlier this month I announced receipt of and then published the sector working group report on our $359 million investment to lift the quality and consistency of teaching and leadership across the education system. Unions and other sector groups worked closely with the Ministry of Education to produce the report which supports the main features of the initiative. The recommended further work is under way maintaining the momentum to begin implementation from next year.Maggie Barry: What were the findings of the working group report?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The working group welcomed the $10 million teacher-led innovation fund the availability of both relief time for roles and inquiry time for schools and considered the allowances an important incentive. I want to thank the working group for its constructive collaboration over the opportunity to design a big initiative with such far-reaching potential.Maggie Barry: What are the next steps in investing in educational success?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The next steps are ensuring that parents have the information they need; establishing the ongoing advisory group of six respected academics and working group members which has its second meeting today; undertaking work on implementation for a 2015 start; bargaining for variations; and continuing work streams on communities of schools and on selection appointment and appraisal. A group of experts meets this week to begin development of professional standards and criteria. It is great that we are all committed to investing in educational success for all.Chris Hipkins: Has she seen the comment from Takapuna Normal Intermediate School principal Owen Alexander who echoed widely held concerns when he stated of the new principal roles: “I couldn’t do it. I have been employed to run my school in the most effective and efficient way to do what is best for my students. To think that I could actually go and spend time giving advice and managing 10 other schools as well would take up more than two days worth of my time and energy”; if so why is she pressing ahead with these new roles when the people who are supposed to do them say they will not work?Hon HEKIA PARATA: So we have one person expressing that point of view—and I have not seen that comment—out of over two and a half thousand. But the comment that I have seen is “Research here and around the world clearly shows that quality teaching has the greatest in-school influence on student achievement. Quality teaching is more likely to happen in a collaborative educational environment than a competitive one. Schools should collaborate teachers should be part of collaborative professional networks and the sink-or-swim mentality of Tomorrow’s Schools needs to change.” That was a speech by Chris Hipkins to the Auckland Primary Principals Association.Chris Hipkins: It was a very good speech. I seek leave to table it.Mr SPEAKER: No; if members really want it I am sure they will find it.Chris Hipkins: Is she satisfied that the policy is robust and will actually lift student achievement when respected school principals including a whole group of principals in Auckland are saying that it lacks evidence to support it it does not stand up to closer scrutiny it does nothing to address inequality and the process around its development has been “professionally insulting”?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Yes.