Treasury prompting debate on key issues

In a recent NZ Herald story

More to be done on tax, education, says Treasury secretary - Business - NZ Herald News

Treasury Secretary, John Whitehead, championed the cause of reforms in tax and education to spur improved performance. It's good to see Treasury again prompting debate about longer term challenges facing the country.

Zero-fees policy ‘helps more people, improves education quality’ | United Future

Zero-fees policy ‘helps more people, improves education quality’ United Future

Innovative approach to tertiary education from United Future.

UnitedFuture’s ‘zero-fees’ policy is a fairer, more effective solution to the student debt problem than Labour's universal student allowance as it also addresses the quality of education, according to leader Peter Dunne who spoke to students at Auckland University today.


“International university rankings released today show that our top universities are slipping down the list. They need a funding commitment from Government to reverse this trend ,” says Mr Dunne.

“Australia has 6 universities ranked in the top 50 in the world. We don’t have any. We have only one in the top 100 and two others in the top 200 – we can and need to do better,” says Mr Dunne.

“UnitedFuture would abolish all tertiary education fees, as well as commit to properly funding our institutions themselves. This will increase access to education and deal with student debt, as well as improving the value of New Zealand degrees.

Peter Dunne at the new building opening at Johnsonville School in July 2010.

“A limitation with universal student allowances is that they only help full-time students, part-time students are no better off, while allowances also do nothing to address the quality of education.”

Mr Dunne points out that in the long term, tuition fees are increasing at a rate faster than the cost of living.

“The funding is already there for zero-fees tuition – the cost falls within that for Labour’s Universal Allowance pledge, but it benefits more people and achieves better education,” he said.

Vouchers - nice in theory but what about the reality?

The Dom Post today reported that National, ACT and Maori Parties had launched a new proposal for what amounts to school vouchers for the top 5% and the bottom 20% of school students.  The scheme is apparently designed to enable parents of these students to utilise other schools or "providers" where it will help their offspring achieve better learning outcomes.

I don't think anyone is opposed to improving learning outcomes.  Also there are some of us who, as parents,  are sometimes deeply perplexed at the poor performance of some teachers and the powerlessness parents have in the face of the education bureaucracy. However, this new scheme raises some real questions that need to be addressed.  For example what is the likelihood that parents of the bottom 20% of underperforming children will actually be able or willing to undertake the transport arrangements, and change arrangements to enable their children to move to another school for part of the day?  Do they have the money or workplace flexibility to enable that for instance?  If not - then doesn't it raise questions as to whether the real beneficiaruies of the scheme will be the top 5% who are likely to be able to afford to put alternative arrangements in place anyway?

Another question I have about vouchers in principle is that the nature of them tend to shift education towards a system based on market power - rather than educational needs. In that context won't it simply empower those who can afford to top up their vouchers with cash payments or school donations? A high quality public education system has long been part of the kiwi dream. While it may not be perfect are vouchers really the solution to the long tail of educational underperformance? I'm not convinced.

Parents have a right to know how there children are doing

Consider the state of numeracy and literacy, as measured in school leaver statistics published by the Ministry of Education earlier this month for the 2008 year: nearly a fifth failed to achieve even NCEA Level One or above. Is that good enough?  If one major purpose of the national standards is to identify pupils who are falling behind and provide help to schools to ensure they improve, what sense is there in resisting it?

If the main issue is trials and phasing in periods then perhaps a delayed introduction is worth considering.  However if the basis for the objection by teachers unions is that parents should not be able to get access to information on how students are going then centrists will rightly support national standards.

Churton Park Community Chair To Stand Down

Wellington.scoop.co.nz reported my resignation as President of the local Churton Park Community Association today. 

I have decided not to seek re-election at the CPCA’s AGM in March. My resignation will take effect from the AGM on March 17th.

2010 marks my seventh year on the Community Association since 1997 – including two separate terms as President. I believe now is the right time to stand down.  The CPCA has a strong committee and a good succession plan. I am confident that it will continue to work tirelessly for the interests of the local community.

The CPCA finances are in good shape, we have secured approval for major infrastructure projects. In addition events such as our annual Community Christmas function continue to attract strong local support.

The new Neighbourhood Centre at Lakewood Avenue is scheduled for 2011. The new Westchester Drive extension is also due during 2011 and it will help reduce heavy traffic volumes on local roads as well as provide for future growth.

In addition the Minister of Education, Anne Tolley, has also confirmed the building of a second primary school at Amesbury Drive in Churton Park to be opened in Term 1 2012. This school will at last resolve the ongoing pressure of roll growth by increasing the collective capacity of local schools.

I was recently appointed by the Minister of Education to the Establishment Board of Trustees (EBOT) for the new Amesbury Drive School.  I look forward to seeing Churton Park continue to grow and prosper as part of the wider Wellington region. Building good quality infrastructure – especially in the education sector – will be a critical part of that success.

A new Committee will be elected at the AGM in March.  To the existing Committee I'd like to say thanks for your commitment and support over the last year. It's been a blast.  I wish you well for 2010.

National Standards - ODT comment

Otago Daily Times makes some good points on the educational national standards issue.  Consider the state of numeracy and literacy, as measured in school leaver statistics published by the Ministry of Education earlier this month for the 2008 year: nearly a fifth failed to achieve even NCEA Level One or above. Is that good enough? 
If one major purpose of the national standards is to identify pupils who are falling behind and provide help to schools to ensure they improve, what sense is there in resisting it?

Liberal Democrats Confirm Commitment to Scrap Tuition Fees

http://www.nickclegg.com/2009/12/tuition-fees/ Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats has announced that scrapping tuition fees would remain one of the party’s most important policies.
In a letter to Liberal Democrat members he today he set out a timetable to scrap fees, including those for part-time courses, over the six years following the General Election. The letter in full:
Dear Friend
I’m writing to let you know some good news about the Liberal Democrat manifesto - good news for students and for everyone who wants a fairer Britain. This week the Party’s federal policy committee agreed a way to deliver one of our most important policies, the scrapping of unfair tuition fees. We’ve developed a plan to phase out tuition fees over the course of the next six years, to ensure this vital policy is affordable even at this time of economic crisis.

The Importance of Social Cohesion

Social cohesion is important not just because it helps make society more stable, more productive and less violent but because it helps all citizens develop positive aspirations for themselves and their families.
Those societies that have a large underclass that is disconnected from the economic mainstream tend to exhibit a greater range of social and economic problems such as crime, racial tensions, violence and industrial unrest.
A progressive income tax, a strong and responsive public health service and high quality public education service are all foundational to a socially cohesive nation. Most mainstream political parties have now come to recognise this. Parties on the Left have long advocated such measures – albeit at times out of a desire to punish the rich. But today some liberal and conservative parties on the centre-right are also choosing to re-incorporate such policies as part of a socially inclusive form of liberal democracy.

New Churton Park School Welcomed

“Fantastic news”. That was the reaction today from the Churton Park Community Association to the announcement, by the Minister of Education, of a new school for the fast-growing suburb.

For several years now the local school has been under pressure with rising roll growth and limited land area for new classrooms. This announcement means that parents throughout the community can be assured of access to good quality local schooling in the future.

Churton Park now has a population approaching 5,000 and is one of the fastest growing suburbs of Wellington City.