N.Z. well placed for education reform — expert

Press, 9 December 1988, Page 41

N.Z. well placed for education reform — expert

PA Wellington New Zealand is better placed to restructure its education administration than other countries which have already done so successfully, according to an Australian expert on education restructuring. The head of the teacher education department at the University of Tasmania, Dr Brian Caldwell, has worked in education restructuring in Australia, Canada, Britain and the United States. He has been invited to New Zealand by the Education Department to assist in the implementation of the education reform blueprint, Tomorrow’s Schools.

He said New Zealanders had a history of community involvement in education, much more so than in other countries which were going through the same process of devolving more responsibility for the running of schools to the community. New Zealand parents had been active since last century on school committees and boards, which had faded out or not

existed in some countries.

As well, New Zealand had an international reputation for quality education and should have the people to carry out the reform. However, the change would be a complex process and would take several years to get exactly right, Dr Caldwell said.

He was impressed with the way the reform in New Zealand was being tackled.

The concept of a charter negotiated between each school and the central Ministry setting out goals was unique to this country and “a stroke of genius.”

The experiences of other countries suggested the quality of education would be improved by the type of education reform being implemented here, providing adequate resources and training were provided.

The devolution of responsibilities, particularly control of their budget, gave schools greater flexibility to meet the needs of individual students.