John Gerritsen
Covid-19: Lockdowns hurt kids writing
2020's lockdowns damaged children's achievement in writing, but had little effect on reading and maths.
An Education Ministry report says by the end of last year, writing scores for children in years… Audio
Grandmother distraught teen missed nearly three years of school
A woman who has fought for years to get her granddaughter back to school is angry the teenager has now missed nearly three years of education.
She says the Education Ministry and Oranga Tamariki are… Audio
Grandmother blames authorities for child's missed school
A woman is blaming the Education Ministry and Oranga Tamariki for the fact that her granddaughter has missed nearly three years of schooling.
She says problem started late in 2018 when the girl's… Audio
Wellington homes completely destroyed by fire
Two Wellington homes have been completely destroyed in a house fire overnight.
The fire was in Hanson Street, in the suburb of Newtown. It spread from one house to its neighbours, and at its peak… Audio
Ministry seeking schools for more than 100 excluded children
The Education Ministry has been trying to find schools for more than a hundred children who have been kicked out of other schools.
Some under 16 year olds have been out of class for more than a… Audio
Schools claim government's foreign student review took them by surprise
Primary and intermediate schools fear foreign student enrolments worth more than $20 million a year are under threat.
They say they've been blind-sided by the announcement of a government review of… Audio
Teachers hope NZ history curriculum will close 'woeful' gaps
Teachers backing the new compulsory New Zealand history curriculum say it will help close woeful gaps in young people's knowledge of this country's past.
Consultation on the draft curriculum ended… Audio
Far North Principal 'really excited' by NZ history curriculum
Teachers are hopeful the incoming compulsory New Zealand history curriculum will help close woeful gaps in young people's knowledge of this country's past.
Close to 5000 submissions were made on the… Audio
Universities hoping partnerships will build foreign enrolments
Universities are banking on partnerships with foreign institutions to keep the cash rolling in from international student enrolments.
They say there is a trend away from using agents to sign up as… Audio
NZEI puzzled by $278m for Holidays Act compensation
A teachers' union is mystified by the conclusion that $278 million is the right amount to settle Holidays Act underpayments to school staff.
The Educational Institute says it has been working on the… Audio
Moriori want more mentions in NZ history curriculum
Historians warned the new school history curriculum could hurt and it has.
Moriori say they are pained that the draft curriculum for what will be a core subject from next year mentions them just… Audio
Budget 2021: Secondary principals pleased with wellbeing focus
The head of the Secondary Principals Association, Deidre Shea, says the government's wellbeing budget will make teachers' job easier.
She says the increased social spending in the Budget will help a… Audio
Expert panel warns compulsory NZ History will be difficult for some
Compulsory New Zealand history lessons that start next year may need to come with a warning.
An expert panel has warned the draft Aoteaora New Zealand Histories Curriculum deals with traumatic… Audio
Teachers will need to take care with NZ history lessons - Expert
An expert panel has warned that compulsory New Zealand history lessons next year could upset some children and lead to difficult classroom discussions.
The panel convened by the Royal Society of New… Audio
Budget 2021: Hopes for special education funding
Education is one of the biggest areas of spending for the government at around $18 billion a year.
Schools take a big chunk of that money and they are hoping this week's Budget will provide help with… Audio
Ministry of Education set to take tougher stance on ECE fraud
An independent report shows the Education Ministry is preparing to take a tougher line on fraud by early childhood services.
The review of a special unit that identified and raided high-risk early… Audio
Govt bankrolls pay parity for thousands of ECE teachers
Thousands of early childhood teachers will get a pay rise next year thanks to a $170-million funding boost announced by the government today.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins says the money will be… Video, Audio
Govt spends $170m on pay parity for thousands of ECE teachers
The Government has announced a pay parity plan for some early childhood teachers worth $170 million. In a pre-Budget announcement this morning, the Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the government… Audio
Kiwi teens internet use among highest in the world
New Zealand teenagers are spending 42 hours a week on the internet - one of the highest figures in the world and double what it was in 2012.
The finding comes from the OECD's Programme for… Audio
Hutt Valley High School: Ministry staff front at meeting with parents
It will be months before senior students at Hutt Valley High School are back in the classroom fulltime after being forced out because of toxic mould.
The Education Ministry fronted up to some angry… Audio