Tohungatanga - Learned

Ko te kai a te rangatira he korero

The food of chiefs is dialogue

Kia ora e te whānau

Welcome to our sixteenth edition of Principal Matters for the year! That means we are approaching the half-way mark for 2019, and in a week’s time, will be planting our garlic (the shortest day)! Shortly after that we will be celebrating the Matariki (25 June).

Industrial Action

By now you will be aware that the Minister has found an extra $271 million to end the pay dispute with the teacher unions. Whilst it is up to the members to accept this offer, both the PPTA and the NZEI unions have recommended that members settle on this offer.

For primary teachers and principals, the dispute has been a protracted one with the union taking strike action three times, once in conjunction with the secondary teachers. This offer reinstates pay parity, which had been lost. It will also offer all teachers and principals a one-off cash injection of $1500.

As secondary principals have not yet negotiated their agreement, a unified pay scale for principals can only be addressed in future and this is referenced in the accord.

The other issue to be addressed, as a factor in the settlement, is teacher workloads.

My understanding is that members will be voting whether to accept this latest offer next week. For more information on the settlement and conditions, click here.  

Communities of Learning (CoL)

The Minister has announced there will be a moratorium on new CoL. I will be seeking clarification from the Secretary for Education around this announcement and report back to you in my next Principal Matters newsletter.

Te Kotahitanga / Te Hurihanganui

Te Hurihanganui is a wellbeing budget 2019 initiative, supporting educational achievement for Māori learners. It tests what works to address cultural bias and racism in our system. I am proud to have been a Matanga member helping to shape this programme.

We all know that our tamariki have been disadvantaged learners for years because of racism, low expectations, and devaluing Māori culture and language. That is one of the reasons NZPF developed the Māori Achievement Collaborations (MACs) in 2012. They are intended to change school culture so that tamariki feel they belong and their culture is valued.

This Budget has assigned $42million over three years to implement Te Hurihanganui.

Learning Support Coordinators

Last week I outlined how the new Learning Support Coordinators would be funded (through tagged staffing), and explained the process leading to appointment. Since then a number of you have asked me if your existing SENCO could simply be funded to continue in their role.  You noted the importance of relationships in the execution of the SENCO role and since some of you already have very effective SENCOs, you want to keep them. In my next meeting with the Secretary for Education, I will be asking this question and will come back with an answer in next week’s Principal Matters.

Enjoy your week!

Ngā manaakitanga

Whetu Cormick
whetu@nzpf.ac.nz