Parata abandons teacher quality

The Education Minister has effectively given up on improving teacher quality and her plan to require all new teachers to have a postgraduate qualification, says Labour’s Education spokesperson, Nanaia Mahuta.

On May 16, just days before the Budget, Hekia Parata announced that as part of the Government’s plan to increase class sizes, a postgraduate qualification would be a pre-requisite for entry into the teaching profession.  The plan was meant to implemented by the end of 2012.

“Increasing class sizes was always madness, and the Minister was quickly forced into an embarrassing U-turn.  That left a $114-million dollar hole in the Education budget – up to $60-million of which was earmarked for improving the educational standards of new teachers.

“Ever since the class size back down, the Government has slowly abandoned the post-graduate requirement.  By June the Ministry was advising that “it is still possible to progress the quality teaching work programme without major risk to achievement of desired outcomes, albeit at a slightly slower pace.”[i]

“One month later and the wheels are coming off, with the Ministry stating that “moving to a postgraduate qualification will deliver limited results in the short term." [ii]

“And by August the benefits of postgraduate qualification for teachers won’t make a “measurable impact” on student achievement for at least ten years, and the Ministry is advising the Government on other options instead." [iii]

“Hekia Parata has quickly become the Government’s Minister of Flip-Flops.  Lifting teacher quality was the only half-decent idea she has had, and now she has put it on the backburner to save money.  I guess ten years is just too far into the future for a Government fixated on short-term sugar hits rather than making serious, structural changes for the long term.

“All the research tells us that one of the most important factors in the educational success of children is the quality of the teacher in the classroom.  Hekia Parata might have given up on teacher quality, but Labour will not,” says Nanaia Mahuta.

[i] Ministry of Education report, June 7

[ii] Ministry of Education paper to Hekia Parata, July 7

[iii] Ministry of Education paper to Hekia Parata, August 18