Lange firm on education reform

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 1

Lange firm on education reform

PA Wellington The Government would change the law to ensure its education policies were implemented, the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, told the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association conference at Trentham yesterday. The P.P.T.A. has expressed concern about plans in the Government’s policy for reform of education administration, called Tomorrow’s Schools, to appoint, senior teachers on contract. The president of the P.P.T.A., Ms Ruth Chapman, told the Associate Minister of Education, Mr Goff, last week that teacher unions would avoid delaying the transition to the new system if they were assured that there would be proper negotiations. “The Government accepts, that offer and hopes we can work together to Implement successfully the reform,” Mr Lange said. “I stress ‘implement successfully.’ “I hope we can work it through without recourse to legislation. But it would be unfair not to acknowledge that, if to implement it we need to amend the Education Act or replace with mew legislation to allow the implementation of these policies, We shall not hesitate.” ■ . Reform of the education system was urgently needed. It had been recommended for. the last two decades but delayed' because it was opposed by entrenched forces. ■' . ■■ The P.P.T.A. like the Government was aware of the need for reform and the two groups had a lot of common ground, Mr Lange said.