Better rewards for better teaching good for NZ

Commenting on a speech delivered by Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf today, BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O'Reilly said raising the quality of teaching in New Zealand schools was important for improving education and economic growth outcomes.

"Treasury analysis indicates significantly higher GDP growth would follow the lifting of student achievement levels - but 30 percent of year 10 students are failing to achieve NCEA level 2.

"Treasury is indicating that of all the factors affecting education outcomes, quality of teaching matters most.

"This means tools to develop, support and reward teachers - based on sound data - are critically important.

"We need better ways to assess teacher performance. Not just bonuses for good exam marks, but assessments based on teacher, student, principal and parent feedback as well as exam outcomes.

"Better rewarding better teaching is one of the most important things we could do to turn around currently patchy education and growth outcomes.