Calder Cam: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCalder Cam: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 17 April 2014. Volume:698;Page:17444. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]8.Dr CAM CALDER (National) to theMinister of Education: What recent announcements has she made on further Initial Teacher Education provision?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): This week I announced that the Government will partner with the University of Auckland the University of Canterbury Massey University Victoria University and the Auckland University of Technology to provide further postgraduate-level initial teacher education qualifications from 2015. These programmes reflect our experience over time of striking a better balance between theory and practice. Improving the quality of initial teacher education provision is part of our drive to strengthen the teaching profession and raise achievement for kids.Dr Cam Calder: Why is the Government investing in improving the quality of initial teacher education provision?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Expectations of education systems are changing and teachers entering the profession need to have the knowledge and expertise to work effectively with an increasingly diverse student population. We want to drive up both the quality and the status of the profession. Postgraduate initial teacher education helps with both. Parents and their children have the right to expect quality teaching and we want to see every one of them succeed.Dr Cam Calder: What other steps is the Government taking to strengthen the teaching profession and raise student achievement?Hon HEKIA PARATA: We have just hosted a most successful International Summit on the Teaching Profession which included over 26 international delegations including Ministers union leaders teacher leaders and of course observers from our own New Zealand profession. It was truly the World Cup of education. We also held education festivals in Auckland Wellington and Christchurch—Hon Tony Ryall: Thousands.Hon HEKIA PARATA: —which received a wide range—indeed thousands—of visitors educators students agencies and community members. We are establishing a new professional body theEducation Council ofAotearoa New Zealand which will be the cornerstone of our quality teaching agenda. The Prime Minister announced a $359 million investment in professional career pathways over the next 4 years. That will support—Hon Tony Ryall: How much?Hon HEKIA PARATA: $359 million. That will support teachers and principals to lift student achievement at every school. And we have the inauguralPrime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards in June to celebrate the profession. In law in policy in practice and in funding this Government is backing our teaching profession to win.Chris Hipkins: What was the total cost to the taxpayer of the festivals of education and the hosting of the International Summit on the Teaching Profession?Hon HEKIA PARATA: We do not yet have the final cost but they were carried out in partnership with Cognition Education which was the budget holder; with the profession; and with a diverse range of education providers both nationally and internationally. It involved nearly 30000 New Zealanders coming to celebrate education. When we have the final number I will be happy to provide that because I am confident that they were dollars well spent.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is not directly related to the Minister’s answer; it is actually related to asking you to give a considered ruling on the issue of written parliamentary questions. I have put to the Minister a number of questions regarding the cost of the festivals of education. She has indicated that she will not answer them because the festivals were contracted to Cognition Education. The question I am asking for a considered ruling on is whether in fact Ministers remain accountable for how taxpayers’ funding is spent and are therefore answerable to the House even if a third party is involved in the spending of that money.Mr SPEAKER: I will consider the point the member has raised but in the answer just given by the Minister the Minister actually said that they had not yet finished collating the figures but she will be happy to tell you once they are finalised.