Education
Principals rubbish National's prefab classroom claim
National leader Bill English described 3700 prefab classrooms as "modern learning environments", but principals are rubbishing the party's claims that school property is in the best shape ever. Audio
The reality of child poverty at NZ's biggest primary school
John Campbell visited Finlayson Park Primary School in Manurewa and spoke to long-serving principal Shirley Maihi about the problems she sees day-to-day. Audio
Kiwi kids swimming skills
Philip Rush, a swimmer who has tackled the Cook Strait and the English Channel, tells us why so many of our children can't swim to save themselves. Audio
Labour to bring in award for top trade students
Labour would award $2000 to the top students taking high school vocational courses, in a bid to encourage more people to take up a career in the trades.
Special education wait times 'appalling'
Young children with disabilities and behaviour problems are waiting up to a year for help from the Education Ministry's early intervention service.
Under-5s waiting a year for special education help
Some under-five-year-olds with disabilities and behaviour problems are waiting more than a year to get help. In Wellington and Porirua the average waiting times are double the rest of the country… Audio
BANG! Episode 6: Fifty Shades of Grey
In episode 6, Melody faces up to another awkward phone call, we learn about how intimacy is affected by life-threatening illness, visit an "adult entertainment store" and sex therapist Edit Horvath… Audio
Universities to compete for new School of Rural Medicine
A shortage of doctors in some of the country's more rural areas has prompted the government to invite universities to bid for funding to set up a new medical school for rural GPs. Waikato University… Audio
Waiariki: the Te Wero debate
Candidates for the Māori seat of Waiariki discuss regional development, water ownership, Treaty Settlements and the support the Māori Party has given to a National government. Audio
ACT leader blames unions for teachers' poor pay rates
The ACT Party leader says the teacher unions are to blame for poor rates of teachers' pay. Audio
Act Party campaign launch
The political parties have been launching their campaigns - and taking advantage of the media spotlight to announce a new policy or two while they are at it. The Act Party leader David Seymour talks… Audio
ACT promises bulk funding if schools drop union contracts
The ACT Party says it would bring in bulk funding for teacher salaries, offering schools $93,000 per teacher but only if they abandon collective agreements.
Which computer games have the most educational value?
With an expanded digital curriculum for Year 1 to 10 students already in the works, online games and other digital resources will increasingly be used as teaching aids in the classroom. Which have the… Audio, Gallery
Green and ACT parties unveil education policies
The Green Party is promising a $315 million boost to education funding to help students with high needs, while the ACT Party wants to almost double the budget for private schools.
Tell me about your thesis: Celebrity Identity and One Direction
Millie Lovelock tells us about her thesis mapping the processes of fan and celebrity identity co-construction in the boy band One Direction. Audio
Encouraging girls into engineering careers
Christchurch Engineer Helen Trappitt is on a mission to encourage more young young women to consider engineering as a career. Audio
How to choose a secondary school for your child
For parents struggling with choosing what high school to send their child to, or trying to navigate a raft of information about what is being taught and how, Education Consultant Bali Haque has… Audio
Teacher shortage reaching crisis point - Principals Council
One in five secondary schools has axed a subject because of a lack of staff, and half have teachers working outside their areas of expertise, a survey shows.
Teacher struck off after years of swearing at students
A teacher has been struck off for repeatedly swearing at students and then ignoring an official investigation into her conduct.
