15 Jul 2014

Education bill changes approved

4:12 pm on 15 July 2014

Parliament's Education and Science Select Committee has recommended going ahead with law changes strongly opposed by school teachers and university staff.

The committee has reported back on the Education Amendment Bill after considering more than 2700 submissions.

Despite the opposition of many submitters and of its Labour, Green and New Zealand First party members, the committee has stuck with controversial measures.

They include allowing the Education Minister to appoint all nine members of teachers' new registration and disciplinary body, the Education Council, and cutting university and wananga councils to no more than 12 members.

Educational Institute secretary Paul Goulter said the parliamentary committee has ignored overwhelming opposition to changes to the teachers' registration and disciplinary body.

He said teachers would not be happy. Mr Goulter said it was not satisfactory at all that everyone on the council was appointed by the minister.

He said the bill was an attack on teachers and the public education system.

Teachers had wanted to elect some of the Education Council members, and university staff and students had wanted larger councils to stay.