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Nueva Zelanda: Education to focus on ‘high-quality’ students

Oceanía/Nueva Zelanda/Octubre de 2016/Fuente: Scoop Independent News

RESUMEN: El discurso titulado, «India y Nueva Zelanda relación internacional de la educación – el crecimiento, oportunidades y desafíos», se habló sobre la reciente crisis que la industria se enfrenta a la educación, en relación con las deportaciones de estudiantes de la India y es secuela de la industria. Charles dijo que este problema, no sólo se limita a la India y otros países también se han enfrentado a problemas similares. «Creo que es importante reconocer en esta etapa también que Nueva Zelanda no está sola ante los problemas de fraude en la visa de estudiante y el comportamiento del agente deshonesto. Los Estados Unidos, Canadá, Australia y otros países de todo frente a los mismos desafíos «. «Las tasas de disminución de visado de la India son evidencia de un esfuerzo significativo por Inmigración de Nueva Zelanda para gestionar los estudiantes y los agentes que presenten información falsa y engañosa en las solicitudes de visado. Inmigración de Nueva Zelanda está haciendo mucho trabajo para educar a los proveedores acerca de la selección de los estudiantes, y la necesidad de gestionar sus redes de agentes «.

Education NZ to focus on ‘high-quality’ students, to maintain high standards across New Zealand’s international education industry.

“All of us have a collective responsibility to ensure the experience of our international students is a positive one and results in positive outcomes for them and ultimately for our businesses and New Zealand society and economy. We welcome international students who come here with genuine intent and means. But New Zealand, like any sovereign country, will take steps to protect our borders and deal decisively with fraudulent or unlawful behaviour when we see it.”

This was one of the main sentiments arising out of the address of Education NZ Chair, Charles Finny, when he addressed the members of the India New Zealand Business Council on Wednesday 5 October. The event was hosted by Auckland Institute of Studies.

The speech titled, «India-New Zealand international education relationship – growth, opportunities and challenges», spoke about the recent crisis that the education industry is facing, with regard to the Indian student deportations and it’s aftermath in the industry.

Charles said that this problem, is not only confined to India and other countries have also faced similar issues. “I think it’s important to acknowledge at this stage too that New Zealand is not alone in facing issues of student visa fraud and dishonest agent behaviour. The United States, Canada, Australia and other countries all face the same challenges.”

“The visa decline rates from India are evidence of a significant effort by Immigration NZ to manage students and agents who submit false and misleading information in visa applications. Immigration New Zealand is doing a lot of work to educate providers about student selection, and the need to manage their agent networks.”

According to Mr. Finny, The New Zealand government agencies earlier are working closely together on these issues, to ensure all international students are treated fairly and are well cared for – that they feel welcome, are safe and well, enjoy a high-quality education and are valued for their contribution to New Zealand. This joint-agency work on international student wellbeing has focused in recent months on Auckland where the majority of international students are located. It has involved a wide range of community meetings and student focus groups to ensure student needs and concerns are being heard and addressed.

He said, “We must maintain high standards across our international education industry. Equally, we are determined not to let the actions of a small number of individuals damage the reputation of an entire community, nor devalue the contribution that students from India and elsewhere, and our education providers, make to New Zealand.”

Highlighting that the situation is not that grim, he said, “Most providers are doing a very good job for their students. Satisfaction rates among students surveyed by the International Student Barometer in 2014 and 2015 ranged from 88% to 94% as being satisfied or very satisfied with their overall experience at their New Zealand institution.”

Charles laid emphasis that the education providers must ensure that they work with high quality agents and there have been a number of directives and guidelines to work on that. He also emphasised that the govt. agencies will work more strongly to ensure the compliance is met with.

“Tough sanctions are now available to deal with providers who fail to manage their agents, including the removal of the right to enrol international students. Enforcing the Code is the responsibility of NZQA who are working closely with Immigration New Zealand to ensure providers proactively comply with the Code.”

INZBC took the initiative to invite the chair of Education NZ, to interact directly with the PTEs and university education providers, most of whom are the members of INZBC.

Mr. Finny applauded INZBC for taking this initiative. He commented, “INZBC has a crucial role to play in helping to bridge the gap that may exist through differing cultural contexts, where, for example, some international students aren’t aware that their rights in New Zealand are protected. I’d like to applaud the contribution of INZBC members who acknowledge the opportunities that a New Zealand education can offer Indian students in terms of skills and knowledge transfer.”

The education providers had a lengthy Q&A with Charles where they debated some of the ways in which the government is working out the solutions.

The most PTEs said that they are being pressurised and held accountable for the applications, for which they have no control. Most applications and their information is being held between the student, the agent and immigration NZ. So their argument being that if the PTE’s are not privy to those conversations, then how can the government hold them accountable.

Charles noted the suggestions and promised that he would take the industry concerns to the right people.

Mr. Wenceslaus Anthony, head of government relations, INZBC also informed the members of a list of answers that have come from Immigration NZ on the recent visa issue.

While immigration New Zealand maintains that the onus of providing the right information is on the students themselves, they did highlight that India is an important market for the country.

Quoted from one of the answers: “The Indian market is an extremely important one to New Zealand with more than 20,000 Indian nationals approved student visas in the last financial year – second only to China. The Indian market is an extremely important one to New Zealand and Indian students make a valuable and valued contribution to our economy, our communities and our diverse student body. All interested parties need to work together to ensure that only genuine students who can comfortably afford international study apply to come to New Zealand.”

Fuente: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1610/S00028/education-nz-to-focus-on-high-quality-students.htm

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Exportación no tradicional

Autor: Mariano Tacchi

Nueva Zelanda, lugar que ya es conocido por los programas »work and travel», está haciendo una fuerte apuesta por atraer no sólo a más turistas, sino que a interesados en su mercado más emergente: la educación superior. Varios chilenos que han respondido a ese llamado cuentan su experiencia.

Según el Instituto de Estadísticas de la Unesco, en 2012 el número de chilenos estudiando en el extranjero era de 8.814 y los destinos más recurrentes eran Estados Unidos (24 por ciento) y España (16 por ciento). En el otro extremo, el uno por ciento estaba en Nueva Zelanda, un destino que aunque todavía poco masivo, en cinco años casi ha duplicado el número de locales que ha recibido, y en 2015 tenía a 700 chilenos estudiando ahí.

Para muchas personas en este país, la ex colonia británica aún es un destino y lugar poco conocido, salvo por filmes que se han rodado en su territorio, como la saga de películas El señor de los anillos de Peter Jackson o la próxima película de Scarlett Johansson, Ghost in the Shell. Pero sí ha logrado despertar gran interés a través de medidas específicas como por ejemplo los programas “work and travel”, que se popularizaron a comienzos de esta década y que son un tipo de visa especial, que permite que gente joven viva en el país por un año y trabaje para costear su estadía.

Pero a la par de eso, en los últimos años el territorio kiwi (como se le dice comúnmente a sus habitantes) se ha ido convirtiendo en punto de atracción para estudiantes de todo el mundo. De hecho, el nuevo mercado de Nueva Zelanda es la educación internacional, que es hoy la quinta industria más grande del país y que en 2014 contribuyó con  casi tres mil millones de dólares al producto interno bruto.

Los neozelandenses se enorgullecen de vivir en un país con alto nivel de desarrollo e integrado culturalmente, y en eso influye mucho la calidad de su sistema educativo, el que aparece permanentemente en los primeros lugares en las mediciones internacionales. Durante los años 80 y 90, el gobierno realizó profundas reformas en el sistema público escolar para mejorarlo. A nivel de educación superior el país tiene ocho universidades públicas –no existen las privadas-  que tienen un amplio espectros de programas de pregrado, máster y doctorado que son mundialmente reconocidos. A esos se suma el sistema público de politécnicos e institutos tecnológicos, distribuidos por el país con cursos académicos y de enseñanza de oficios.

Ahora, los decididos neozelandeses están tratando de atraer a gente hacia esos centros de estudios. Por eso en marzo organizaron en Chile una feria universitaria en el Hotel W de Santiago, a la que más de veinte instituciones del área llegaron a mostrar qué ofrecen. La actividad fue organizada por Education New Zealand, una oficina de gobierno que se dedica específicamente a fomentar a ese país como un destino para ir a estudiar. “Chile y Nueva Zelanda tienen una larga y estable relación bilateral de más de 40 años, siendo uno de sus pilares la educación”, cuenta Lisa Futschek, directora regional para América y Europa de la organización. “Los estudiantes chilenos traen diversidad a las salas de clases neozelandesas, lo que es muy agradecido y potenciado en todos los sectores”, agrega.

Patricia Ramírez

Educado por kiwis

Hay varias características geográficas que no sólo hacen fácil para el chileno adecuarse en Nueva Zelanda, sino que también implican que hay muchos intereses en común: si dibujamos una línea recta ficticia desde Auckland –una de las ciudades más al norte de ese país– hasta Chile, esta llegaría a la altura de Concepción, por lo que los climas en general son similares a los que conocemos. A eso sumémosle montañas, largas franjas de mar y las corrientes heladas del Pacífico. Ellos, al igual que nosotros, tienen productos marinos, cordero y vino. Pese a las similitudes de clima, geografía e incluso alimentación, las diferencias están en el capital humano. Así al menos lo cree William Pereira, chileno que llegó a seguir estudios de horticultura al politécnico de la Universidad de Otago, ubicado en Central Cromwell, un lugar en la isla Sur y que tiene un clima muy similar al de Coyhaique. Allí se encuentra el campus de William, al cual llegó hace cerca de seis meses con una beca del programa Técnicos para Chile del Mineduc. Tras analizar las posibilidades en distintos países, optó por la isla “porque posee un clima muy similar al nuestro y la agricultura dentro del país juega un rol muy importante al igual que en Chile”. Le ha llamado la atención el ritmo de estudio que explica que es más relajado pero sin dejar de lado la exigencia: “Calidad no es cantidad”, es la forma en que él describe la educación kiwi.

Cuenta que aunque en su institución actualmente hay dos chilenos, eso cambia en el verano “cuando llegan muchos latinos a la isla Sur para trabajar en las cosechas de distintos frutales”. Estos no vienen sólo de los programas de “work and holiday”, sino que también hay estudiantes como él, ya que a los alumnos extranjeros les permiten trabajar hasta 20 horas semanales durante el semestre y a tiempo completo en verano, para que puedan generar ingresos, lo que no ocurre en otros países.

Algo parecido a lo que dice William destaca desde la Universidad de Victoria, en Wellington, la bióloga Olivia Vergara, quien llegó hace cuatro años a realizar su PhD en Biología de la Conservación: “Te cuidan mucho, si estás estresado, te apoyan y son menos competitivos. Cuando en mi grupo de laboratorio alguien logra un avance, discutimos entre todos para mejorarlo, no como en Chile. Nadie trata de quitarte tU descubrimiento, sino que te ayudan a potenciarlo”. Ella decidió cruzar el Pacífico siguiendo la recomendación de uno de sus profesores en la Universidad de Concepción. “Trabajé mucho tiempo en Chile y acá llegué a un proyecto más grande que tiene que ver con los mamíferos pequeños introducidos y que se convierten en plagas”, cuenta.

La bióloga ambiental Patricia Ramírez se vino desde la Universidad de Chile a la de Victoria en 2013 atraída por los estudios que estaba haciendo el profesor que hoy es su tutor. “Su investigación sobre restauración de población animal me gustó mucho. También los lugares donde se hacía el trabajo en terreno me parecieron atractivos, por lo que decidí venirme”, cuenta. Mientras realiza su PhD en Ecología y Biodiversidad, cuenta que su postulación no fue sencilla, pues además de lograr ser aceptada en la universidad tuvo que pasar por el proceso de Becas Chile, el programa del Mineduc que entrega fondos para realizar estudios de postgrado en el extranjero.  La iniciativa de gobierno no es la única que existe: gran parte de las instituciones neozelandesas ofrecen becas para estudiantes de buen nivel de otros países. La bióloga ya lleva tres años allá pero sigue asombrada por la calidad de vida universitaria y el acceso a diferentes herramientas para hacer sus investigaciones. También destaca que los neozelandeses “tienen la mente muy abierta y les interesa traer a varias personas que puedan hacer un cambio constructivo y trabajar”, comenta.

William Pereira

Tú me das y yo te doy 

La comunidad de estudiantes en el país kiwi está dominada por los chinos e indios, que juntos son la mitad de los extranjeros que cursan estudios de educación superior ahí. Los chilenos son un porcentaje menor del total, pero con todo, son la segunda comunidad de latinos después de los brasileños. Según datos del gobierno de Nueva Zelanda, los chilenos que van a estudiar allá optan principalmente por hacerlo en áreas ligadas a la agricultura y los estudios ambientales (25 por ciento), seguido por campos de estudio mixtos (13 por ciento), estudios sociales (12 por ciento), salud (11 por ciento) e ingeniería (7 por ciento).  Lisa Futschek, directora Regional de Education New Zealand, explica que el interés de su país no es “sólo atraer a estudiantes chilenos a cursar carreras. Nueva Zelanda presenta una gran oportunidad para desarrollar investigaciones en conjunto”, comenta.

Como las universidades están en distintas partes del país, los chilenos no se concentran en un sólo lugar o en las grandes ciudades, sino que se reparten en distintos puntos, lo que promueve el intercambio cultural con los dueños de casa y alumnos de otras partes del mundo.

María Jesús Valdés

Así es como Paulo Lagos ha aprendido que en Nueva Zelanda “todas las profesiones son bien vistas. Se puede ser desde basurero hasta manejar tráfico y ganas un buen sueldo y te tratan con el mismo respeto que a un doctor”. Su polola, María Jesús Valdés, destaca la preocupación medioambiental de los kiwis: “Hay una cultura muy consciente con el planeta. Muchas casas reciclan, hacen compost, huertos. Todos intentan comer saludable y orgánico”, explica la estudiante de un PhD en Investigación de Mamíferos Marinos.

Llegaron a Nueva Zelanda de vacaciones  y se quedaron maravillados con los paisajes del país, que además les ofrecía buenos programas en sus respectivas áreas de estudio. Ambos postularon a la Universidad de Otago y quedaron, donde ahora trabajan y estudian. “Decidimos no postular a Becas Chile porque te obligan a volver y no te garantizan una inserción laboral”, cuenta María Jesús. Mientras que ella trabaja en terreno y como guía turística en las islas cercanas, Paulo actualmente está tratando de medir el impacto climático sobre el krill: “Acá se me abrieron las puertas con muchas herramientas con las que podría hacer muchas cosas”.

Tomado de: http://www.latercera.com/noticia/exportacion-no-tradicional/

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Nueva Zelanda: Help us deal with violent students – teachers

Nueva Zelanda / 05 de octubre de 2016 / Fuente: http://www.radionz.co.nz/

New guidelines to deal with violent students have been welcomed but secondary school teachers say more needs to be done.

Some want the legislation reviewed to give them more protection when dealing with violent incidents.

Guidelines are due to be released by the Ministry of Education in the next few weeks on how to manage the seclusion and restraint of violent students.

Secondary Principals Association executive member Patrick Walsh said teachers needed more protection when dealing with difficult, violent situations.

The two sets of guidelines due to be released next term were good, but teachers needed to feel confident when they intervened that they were doing the right thing, he said.

The current Education Act did not authorise teachers to use any physical restraint on students, Mr Walsh said.

«What a number of eductors are asking for is further protection unded the Education Act, which will actually authorise teachers to exercise restraint in those rare circumstances when they actually need to physically restrain students.»

In a statement, Education Ministry deputy secretary Kim Shannon said suspensions, stand-downs and exclusions from school had reached record lows.

Officials were looking into the possibility of additional statutory protections for teachers, but in the meantime, the new guidelines would give clear advice on how to deal with violent incidents, she said.

Fuente noticia: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/314715/help-us-deal-with-violent-students-teachers

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Nueva Zelanda: Student loan borrowers seeking bankruptcy as millions in debts wiped due to insolvency

Oceanía/Nueva Zelanda/Octubre de 2016/Autora: Talia Shadwell/Fuente: Stuff

RESUMEN: Graduados en el extranjero  se declaran sin dinero ya que están entre los 483 deudores en préstamos de estudiantes que han sido aniquiladas por las quiebras. Los Impuestos Internos se han puesto de manifiesto en los últimos datos como la cantidad adeudada por morosos en préstamos estudiantiles  de $ 1 mil millones. Los 10 mayores deudores en el extranjero deben más de $ 300.000 por cada contrato. Algunos están muriendo en deuda. El Ministerio de Educación muestran que las cifras  en el año hasta junio de 2015 es de $ 19 millones en préstamos estudiantiles se da de baja a causa de la muerte del prestatario en comparación con $ 16 millones dados de baja debido a la quiebra.

Overseas graduates declaring themselves penniless are among the 483 debtors whose $18 million in students loans have been wiped by bankruptcies.

Inland Revenue has revealed the latest figures as the amount owed by student loan defaulters tips over the $1 billion mark. The 10 biggest overseas debtors owe more than $300,000 each.

Some are dying in debt. Ministry of Education figures show that, in the year to June 2015, $19m of student loan debt was written off because of the death of the borrower. That compared with $16m written off because of bankruptcy.

One Auckland-based accountancy website advises graduates: «If you are living overseas, a New Zealand bankruptcy may have no negative impact on you at all.»

Soon, information-sharing powers between Australia and New Zealand’s tax departments will be boosted, after two student loan-related arrests at the border this year, and as overall student debt reaches $15b.

But student leaders say the crackdown on defaulters is treating bright young Kiwis seeking careers overseas like «traitors».

It is not clear how many of the bankruptcies were overseas debtors applying specifically to wipe their student loan debt. IRD was not able to immediately provide the breakdown.

The bankruptcy figures include people owing creditors for other reasons, such as business failures.

However, New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations president Linsey Higgins confirmed cases of Kiwis overseas going bankrupt as they faced mounting student loan debt.

She said the union received calls from one to two borrowers a month seeking advice on bankruptcy.

«We know it’s most often happening in circumstances where there’s a consistent inflexibility by IRD to work with the the overseas borrower and that has put them in a position where they have literally no other options.»

«This is making the OE become a lot harder . . . Medical students used to graduate and work in British hospitals under the NHS. They want to do that because they want more experience and [access to] the facilities and technology.

«They would come back to New Zealand and pay most of their debt. But now, the interest accumulates on the loans.

«I think it’s treating people like traitors to leave. This idea that if you leave New Zealand to go abroad, we’re going to punish you.»

LAST RESORT

IRD said its debt recovery initiatives included offering methods to make repayments from abroad easier, and instalment options. Legal action and arrests at the border were a «last resort».

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce said on Friday: «There is no evidence that significant numbers of people who have declared bankruptcy have done so because of student loans. Most people who declare bankruptcy do so because they owe money to a range of creditors and, as a result, their student debt is also written off.

«Inland Revenue doesn’t seek to bankrupt anyone solely because of their student debt.

«Entering into bankruptcy is not a decision that should be taken lightly. There are significant negative consequences, including the effect on a person’s credit rating, their ability to get a loan in the future, their possessions being sold, needing approval to travel overseas and being unable to be the director of a company.»

Labour leader Andrew Little said he was personally against interest on loans for graduates abroad, but the party had not discussed policy on it.

«We do want people to get overseas experience and, ideally, most of them will come back and bring back their skills they’ve learned overseas.»

STUDENTS’ BAD DEBT

About a third of the more than $1b of student loan debt in default has been racked up through penalties. Overseas-based debtors were the biggest culprits, making up just over $982m of the bad debt.

Latest IRD figures show that, of the 100,589 overseas and New Zealand-based debtors behind on their loans, $344.2m was made up of penalties. The late payment penalty rate is currently 8.8 per cent.

Overseas-based debtors

Default loans: 78,528
Penalty amount: $311.1m

TOTAL: $976.2m

NZ-based debtors

Default loans: 22,061
Penalty amount: $33.1m

TOTAL: $84.6m

Fuente: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/84827783/student-loan-borrowers-seeking-bankruptcy-as-millions-in-debts-wiped-due-to-insolvency

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Nueva Zelanda: Huge education reforms worry teacher unions

Oceanía/Nueva Zelanda/Septiembre de 2016/Fuente: RNA

RESUMEN: La Asociación de Profesores de Primaria anuncio  que los cambios están dirigidos a allanar el camino para la privatización del sistema escolar – una afirmación negada por el gobierno – y el Instituto para la Educación ha advertido que los cambios deben ser impulsados por las necesidades de los niños, no por la ideología. Los sindicatos  celebran sus conferencias anuales esta semana; PPTA en Wellington y el NZEI en Rotorua.Las conferencias se llevan a cabo en medio de una serie de cambios propuestos en todo el sector, incluyendo la Ley de Educación para la escuela y los sistemas de financiación de la primera infancia, la educación especial. Los líderes de los sindicatos dijeron que las reformas del gobierno eran ‘enorme’ y se cubren la mayoría de los aspectos del sistema escolar.Los cambios fueron los más significativos en más de 25 años, dijo el presidente de NZEI Louise Verde.»Cambian la forma en la escolarización y educación de la primera infancia, por lo que cambia el sistema, y estos son los mayores cambios desde las escuelas de mañana instroducidos desde 1989,» dijo.

The Post Primary Teachers Association says changes are aimed at paving the way for privatising the school system – a claim denied by the government – and the Educational Institute has warned the changes must be driven by the needs of children, not by ideology.

The unions are holding their annual conferences this week; the PPTA in Wellington and the NZEI in Rotorua.

The conferences are taking place amid a raft of proposed changes across the sector, including school and early childhood funding systems, special education and the Education Act.

The unions’ leaders said the government’s reforms were ‘huge’ and covered most aspects of the school system.

The changes were the most significant in more than 25 years, NZEI president Louise Green said.

«They change the way schooling and early childhood education are delivered, so it changes the system, and these are the biggest changes since Tomorrow’s Schools was introduced in 1989,» she said.

Ms Green said the changes could harm the public education system.

«We pride ourselves in New Zealand on high quality public education and we’re concerned that many of the changes start to undermine that, because they think more about the system and less about the child.»

PPTA president Angela Roberts said some of the changes appeared to be paving the way for privatisation of the school system.

«When you start connecting all of those bits up, it’s a very, very clear agenda,» she said.

«This is about privatisation and giving corporate entities, to use the government’s own language, access to our schools.»

Ms Roberts said companies were geared to make profit, and nobody should profit from the school system.

«That will absolutely undermine and destroy what is a world-class system.»

But in a statement, Acting Education Minister Anne Tolley said there was no plan for privatisation.

«The changes being proposed for the future of our education system have nothing to do with laying the path for privatisation of education.

«Any suggestion that they are makes it quite clear that there is a lot of misinformation being put out at union events.»

Fuente: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/314360/’huge’-education-reforms-worry-teacher-unions

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Nueva Zelanda: ‘Huge’ education reforms worry teacher unions

Nueva Zelanda / 28 de septiembre de 2016 / Por: John Gerritsen / Fuente: http://www.radionz.co.nz/

The government’s wide-ranging change agenda for the education system is worrying the school and early childhood unions, the NZEI and the PPTA.

The Post Primary Teachers Association says changes are aimed at paving the way for privatising the school system – a claim denied by the government – and the Educational Institute has warned the changes must be driven by the needs of children, not by ideology.

The unions are holding their annual conferences this week; the PPTA in Wellington and the NZEI in Rotorua.

The conferences are taking place amid a raft of proposed changes across the sector, including school and early childhood funding systems, special education and the Education Act.

The unions’ leaders said the government’s reforms were ‘huge’ and covered most aspects of the school system.

The changes were the most significant in more than 25 years, NZEI president Louise Green said.

«They change the way schooling and early childhood education are delivered, so it changes the system, and these are the biggest changes since Tomorrow’s Schools was introduced in 1989,» she said.

Ms Green said the changes could harm the public education system.

«We pride ourselves in New Zealand on high quality public education and we’re concerned that many of the changes start to undermine that, because they think more about the system and less about the child.»

NZEI president Louise Green and PPTA president Angela Roberts announce the results of a vote in which teachers overwhelmingly opposed a proposed change to school funding.

Louise Green, left, and Angela Roberts are concerned about the proposed changes. Photo: RNZ / John Gerritsen

PPTA president Angela Roberts said some of the changes appeared to be paving the way for privatisation of the school system.

«When you start connecting all of those bits up, it’s a very, very clear agenda,» she said.

«This is about privatisation and giving corporate entities, to use the government’s own language, access to our schools.»

Ms Roberts said companies were geared to make profit, and nobody should profit from the school system.

«That will absolutely undermine and destroy what is a world-class system.»

But in a statement, Acting Education Minister Anne Tolley said there was no plan for privatisation.

«The changes being proposed for the future of our education system have nothing to do with laying the path for privatisation of education.

«Any suggestion that they are makes it quite clear that there is a lot of misinformation being put out at union events.»

Fuente noticia: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/314360/’huge’-education-reforms-worry-teacher-unions

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Nueva Zelanda: Teachers overwhelmingly oppose school funding changes

Oceanía/Nueva Zelanda/Septiembre de 2016/Autor: John Gerritsen/Fuente: RNZ

RESUMEN: Los maestros han votado abrumadoramente en contra de una propuesta de modificación del sistema de financiación de las escuelas, dicen los sindicatos. Los sindicatos tendrían ahora iniciar una campaña para hacer pivotar la opinión pública en contra de la propuesta, dijeron. Conocido como el «presupuesto global», la propuesta asignaría a las escuelas, una financiación basada en sus matrículas y luego dejar que las escuelas deciden qué parte de ella  asignara al personal docente. Las escuelas serán capaces de sacar provecho de la financiación del  maestro sin usar dinero para gastar en otros recursos. El gobierno está considerando uno de los siete cambios en los sistemas de financiación de la escuela y de la primera infancia. El Instituto para la Educación Nueva Zelanda (NZEI) y la Asociación de Docentes de Enseñanza Primaria Correos (PPTA) dijeron que después de dos semanas de reuniones con los miembros, los maestros se opusieron abrumadoramente a favor del cambio.

Teachers have overwhelmingly voted against a proposed change to the school funding system, unions say.

The unions would now start a campaign to swing public opinion against the suggestion, they said.

Known as the ‘global budget’, the proposal would allocate schools funding based on their enrolments and then let schools decide how much of it to allocate to teaching staff.

Schools will be able to cash in unused teacher funding for money to spend on other resources. It is one of seven funding changes to the school and early childhood funding systems the government is considering.

The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) and the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) said after two weeks of meetings with members, teachers were overwhelmingly opposed to the change.

The Education Ministry has said the proposal is similar to the current system, which recompenses schools at the start of each year for unused staffing from the previous year.

The main differences were that schools could deliberately choose how to use their staffing and would not have to wait to the following year to be paid for unused staffing, it said.

But the unions said the system was a form of bulk funding that would undermine the teacher ratios that help maintain education quality.

An advisory group of the main education organisations has also rejected the proposal.

Education Minister Hekia Parata recently acknowledged the advisory group’s advice, but Cabinet was yet to make a decision.

PPTA president Angela Roberts said the unions were not taking any chances on what Cabinet would decide.

«We don’t want to leave it up to one advisory group report to convince Cabinet that this idea isn’t worth pursuing,» she said.

«It’s great that the minister has acknowledged what the advisory group has said very, very clearly.

«I guess we’re just supporting her to continue to be really focused on taking that message and hopefully recommending to Cabinet that the global budget isn’t worth pursuing – we don’t want it, we don’t need it, it doesn’t provide any advantage to public schools.»

Ms Roberts and NZEI president Louise Green said their unions would hold a roadshow next month to support schools and encourage the public to reject bulk funding.

Teachers knew the impact of education policy on schools and early childhood centres and they needed to share that knowledge, Ms Green said.

«It’s important to us that parents and our communities actually understand all of the impacts of this,» she said.

Teachers’ feedback will be reported to Cabinet – Tolley

Acting Minister of Education Anne Tolley said the unions’ presidents were part of the funding advisory group that reported back to Minister of Education Hekia Parata earlier this year.

«Their feedback, alongside the views of teachers and principals that were gathered by the Ministry of Education, will be taken into account when Minister Parata reports to Cabinet later this year.

«The Cabinet will then decide how to progress,» she said.

Ms Tolley said discussions on the funding review were at a very early stage, and any changes would not be implemented until 2019 at the earliest.

Fuente: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/313755/teachers-‘overwhelmingly’-oppose-school-funding-changes

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