Minister for Education Erica Stanford Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
It was an "historic" day for New Zealand's education system says the head of IHC, as the government settles a Human Rights Review Tribunal claim from 2012 alleging education policies disadvantaged disabled students in schools.
Chief executive of the service provider for people with intellectual disabilities, Andrew Crisp, said the government had agreed to work together, rather than "battle it in the courts".
"We were prepared to battle it in the courts, but we know this is a better way for us, and we can really achieve something quite big."
IHC said the agreement would enable the New Zealand education system to work better for disabled students.
Crisp said disabled students had not had an equitable opportunity to enjoy a meaningful education in New Zealand, and this settlement was part of fixing that.
"Families, teachers and principals have told IHC over several decades that government policies led to exclusion for disabled students in local schools.
"This is a strong starting point for long-term improvements to how the government supports disabled students learning at their local school.
Crisp signed the agreement at Parliament on Thursday afternoon alongside Minister for Education Erica Stanford and secretary for education Ellen MacGregor Reid.
The agreement committed to a 'Framework for Action' responding to the support needs of disabled and neurodiverse students, as well as establishing a stakeholder group to support its implementation.
The framework included:
- Better data reporting and collection
- Improved access to specialist support services
- Better coordination among education agencies to improve the system for disabled students
- Taking steps to ensure the curriculum reflects and includes all learners
- Taking steps to enable more accessible infrastructure
- An investigation of alternative funding structures
- An investigation into the impacts of government policies and funding decisions on attitudes of ableism (a focus on what disabled students could not do, rather than what they could).
IHC said the Framework for Action required the ministry to "investigate several areas of education" and consider how they could be improved to support all learners, including those with disabilities. Those areas included data collection and reporting, access to specialist support services, infrastructure and curriculum.
Crisp said discussions with the ministry had been "detailed and collaborative" and IHC was satisfied the changes could remove barriers and lead to longterm positive oucomes for disabled students.
IHC chief executive Andrew Crisp. Photo: Supplied / IHC
Stanford called it a "hugely significant" day, and said it was the start of a "true partnership" between IHC and the Ministery of Education to "make sure that we are securing the futures of our disabled children and the education system".
"For too long, they have not been receiving the education they deserve. And we've now put together a framework that we'll work together on to make sure that we change that."
She said it was up to the government to make sure the system was funded properly.
"There is obviously a huge deficit that we need to make up for, but we're committed to doing that.
"In Budget 25, we delivered the most significant investment in learning support in a generation - $750 million - directly tackling the long-standing inequities IHC has raised."
Crisp said it would mean children could go to school and feel part of the school environment, and "are not treated any differently".
He said that would "take some time".
"Over time those students' support and learning needs will be better understood and they will have what they need to thrive at school and beyond, just like their non-disabled peers.
"But the reality is, we want a society where that can be the case.
"System change will take years, but we will make sure that there is demonstrable progress."
Shane McInroe, who has learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, said "writing and reading is not my forte, but we get there eventually". He worked in advocacy and was also in attendance, speaking of his own experience at school.
"Maybe they just didn't have adequate support and they didn't have understanding of how to work with someone with a learning disability."
He spoke of the significance of the day "to the community and the whole of the schooling system".
He said students with disabilities could "actually be a student in a school" and not be concerned about their support.
"It will make a huge difference."
He wanted to see real training for support staff and teachers.
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