Parata Hekia: Education Amendment Bill (No 2) — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeParata Hekia: Education Amendment Bill (No 2) — First Reading[Sitting date: 13 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16684. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education):I move That the Education Amendment Bill (No 2) be now read a first time. I nominate the Education and Science Committee to consider the bill. At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be reported by 21 July 2014.Our Government has a comprehensive successful and sustainable education plan. We want every New Zealand child to get a better education so that they can be successful here at home in New Zealand as well as globally competitive. This Government is investing in an education system that gives students and young people the skills that they need to achieve success in education and in life. This is why we are introducing legislation that sets up the education profession with an independent entity as the cornerstone of our quality teaching agenda to ensure our education system meets the challenges and opportunities of the modern learning context. This will promote educational leadership accountability and high standards within the education system; help to drive continuous improvement by strengthening and streamlining quality assurance processes; and establish a regulatory framework for the protection of children and for discipline—for the highest and safest behaviour. My colleague the Hon Steven Joyce will speak in more detail about the tertiary and international education aspects of the bill.The Government is focused on strengthening and valuing the education profession. Earlier this year our Prime Minister announced an investment of $359 million for teaching and leadership career pathways that will create four new teaching and leadership roles in schools. These roles will recognise and use talent where it is needed most. They will be implemented from next year to support communities of schools across the country. Importantly the pathways will have a focus on supporting teachers to collaborate to lift achievement.This year we are reviewing professional learning and development for the compulsory school sector. This month we are hosting the International Summit on the Teaching Profession here in Wellington. We expect to host Ministers of education from the top-performing education systems from all around the world. At the same time we are hosting education festivals in Auckland Wellington and Christchurch to showcase school best practice to each other to parents and to the community and to celebrate what is happening in our schools. We have instituted the inaugural Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards to be awarded in June this year.We want to build on the good practice that occurs in schools every day and support the system to promote high professional standards and accountability. The Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand is integral to our plan to value and strengthen the teaching profession. The bill establishes the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand EDUCANZ which will be a new professional body for the education profession replacing the existing New Zealand Teachers Council. I would like at this time to record my thanks to the New Zealand Teachers Council for the sterling work that it has done over the duration of its existence and to thank it for the work that it will continue to do until the new body is in place.This bill today is the result of a 3-year conversation. Widespread consultation began in 2010 when the Education Workforce Advisory Committee wrote its report and it ended with the 2013 ministerial advisory group report which led engagement on the proposals right across the profession. EDUCANZ will lead and promote quality teaching in New Zealand. As an independent statutory body it will focus on investing in high-quality leadership and teaching practice across early childhood and schooling. It will be the guardian for standards for teachers and help ensure that the aspirations we have for educational success are realised in the day-to-day operation of our education system. EDUCANZ will be owned by the profession and will have its needs at its heart in the interests of quality learning and the best education for each and every child and young New Zealander.The bill sets out the purposes and functions of EDUCANZ and the appointment process for members. Members will be appointed by the Minister and will have the skills attributes and credentials to lead the profession. Of the nine appointed members up to five will be registered teachers. Many of the functions of the new professional body reflect that of the New Zealand Teachers Council but it will have additional responsibilities in providing direction for the profession. The most important role of EDUCANZ will be as steward and guardian of the standards of the profession.The bill requires EDUCANZ to develop a code of conduct that must be adhered to by every teacher in New Zealand ensuring that there is clarity for all about the expected behaviour and conduct of teachers and the priority of safety for the young people in their care. The bill promotes the safety of students through a robust regulatory framework for teachers. Teacher registration will be separated from the issue of practising certificates to promote the professional value and status of those practising certificates.The safety of learners in our schools is an absolute priority. This Government supports an education system that takes a robust approach to safeguarding children and young people. Therefore the bill will make changes to strengthen and clarify the disciplinary framework for teachers. To help raise public confidence in the profession any teacher convicted of a serious criminal offence will have their registration cancelled. EDUCANZ will have an explicit function to monitor and enforce the mandatory reporting requirements relating to teacher misconduct. Likewise streamlining the powers of the complaints assessment committee will ensure that appropriate disciplinary measures are taken in a timely manner. The Education Council Disciplinary Tribunal can suspend a teacher’s practising certificate if the safety of children or the reputation of the teaching profession are in question. We are removing the current 3-month maximum interim suspension.The bill helps us to achieve our aim of five out of five students achieving success in education. We are committed to ensuring that our education system is well equipped to meet the challenges of the modern learning context. The Education Amendment Bill (No 2) helps us achieve this. We have invested significantly in consulting with education professionals to ensure that this bill reflects both their aspirations and their ambitions but also balances the need to ensure that the safety of children and the protection of parents’ interests in terms of their children are also safeguarded. I now commend the bill to the House.