Podcasts about nzqa

A view that AI could be used as a tool in school exams in the future. NZQA investigated 876 alleged exam breaches last year, and almost 60 involved AI. Principals believe the technology was used in some of the 200-odd authenticity breaches. Canterbury University Associate Professor of Digital Education Kathryn MacCallum told Ryan Bridge AI use is seen as cheating, which isn't always true. She says writing an essay can still be an assessment of a student's learning with AI, we just need to change the way we assess. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's likely to be an anxious morning for 160-thousand secondary school students, who soon receive their NCEA exam results. NZQA will upload the outcomes online, with students able to check if they've passed and if they've received Course and Certificate Endorsements or University Entrance. PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Tim Beveridge for those disappointed with their results, it's not the end of the world. He says one bad result won't shape someone's entire future, and there are always options available. NZQA doesn't reveal the exact time results will be released, but it's usually early in the day. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Review Office is recommending NCEA Level 1 be reformed. Its review found it's not a fair or reliable measure of knowledge and skills, and around a quarter of schools don't plan on offering it next year. Last year, students were almost twice as likely to achieve an excellence on an internal assessment than an external. Auckland's Rangitoto College Principal Patrick Gale told Ryan Bridge that within the existing framework, teachers can target standards they perceive to be easier. He says with internal assessment they can also offer more time, meaning they may not enter students into all externals, causing further issues as they're not learning the whole curriculum. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NCEA exams have been running for one week and already there have been complaints over being too hard. Teachers at Auckland's Diocesan School for Girls have written to NZQA complaining about the Level 2 maths and biology papers. Its head of maths says the writer of the algebra paper was trying to be creative and was a ‘little too far removed from the classroom'. Diocesan principal Heather McCrae joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was a headline in The Post: ‘Scathing survey results from teachers on NCEA level 1 roll out'. That was the headline. The story goes on: “A survey of teachers saw the vast majority indicate that the NCEA standards are poorly designed, changes have increased workloads, there's insufficient support from NZQA NCEA, and the provided exemplars often don't align with assessment specifications.” So legitimate concerns. Teachers have been dealing with massive changes of curriculum and it's no wonder that many of them have thrown in the towel. In fact, it's a wonder more of them haven't thrown in the towel. So, this government, the clear implication is, has stuffed up right? Scathing survey results from teachers on NCEA Level 1 rollout. That's very, very clear in the headline that the teachers are furious with this government, that is what the story implies. Education Minister Erica Stanford was on this morning talking to Heather du Plessis-Allan and she said no, the fault lies with the previous administration. “I get on very, very well with Chris Abercrombie and the PPTA. And to be fair to them, technically the grumblings that they're having at the moment is not with the curriculum, because there is no curriculum, it's with the NCEA changes to Level 1, and that is aimed at the previous government, and I agree wholeheartedly with them. “When I came into office last year I saw some results that showed that well over half of schools felt not prepared or only somewhat prepared for next year's Level 1. This is in November I saw this. And then I started fielding calls from principals and teachers saying we don't know what to teach next year because there are no subject learning outcomes, we don't have any exemplars. “So we had six weeks to scramble with the Subject Associations to write subject learning outcomes over Christmas — Associations did an amazing job— and push NZQA to get those exemplars ready, that weren't going to be ready till May. This was a disastrous rollout by the previous government of NCEA Level 1.” Who do we believe? I mean, there were massive changes to the curriculum under the previous administration, absolutely massive, and I do not blame teachers for being fed up. The coalition government said we are going to correct a lot of those changes, the curriculum that was being rolled out is going to be drawn back in and we're going to rewrite it and get back to the basics. There was very little guidance or support over the last six years, despite the huge numbers employed by the Ministry of Education. Remember the number of teachers employed by state schools rose by just over 5% from 2017 to 2022. In that same period, the number of full-time staff employed at the Ministry of Education rose by 55%. So the number of teachers actually at the coalface rose by 5%, the number of full-time staff at the Ministry of Education rose by 55%. There were 1700 more staff at the Ministry of Education than was employed in 2016, so they were undertaking huge projects. There was the building of classrooms, there was the new schools. Then there were the changes to the curriculum, and it was a seismic ideological change, incorporating Te ao Māori into mathematics and into science and there was all kinds of debate going on, ideological debate about the relevance. The Royal Academy of Mathematics was, I think, furious. Not just sad, but furious. Te ao Maori has its place they said, in maths? No, no, no. Maths is maths, it's its own language. So you have all of these people and the Ministry of Education, each with their own reckon and galloping along on their ideological stallion taking education in one direction. You had consultants up the ying yang, you had ten consulting firms that relied completely and utterly on the Ministry of Education for their funding, while they came up with their own reckons as well, they galloped off on their ideological stallions. In came the coalition government who went whoa, come on, Tonto. No, we're pulling you in, come back - herded all the ideological stallions back into the paddock and then said right, we're getting on Dobbin the old cart horse and we're going to trudge along the field, and we're going to plough basic maths, and basic science, and basic English into our kids, this is what they need to learn to get them up the international standards. And the teachers, they've been on the galloping horses. They've been going there and here and everywhere, and now they're back wondering what the hell was that? No wonder they need teacher only days. I hope the teacher only days involve lying on couches and having soothing compresses placed on their foreheads because they have been through a lot. It's only when you go back and look through the proposed curriculum that was being laid out, especially under Chris Hipkins, as Minister of Education and then when he was Prime Minister, they were extraordinary. And there simply wasn't any underpinning to them to allow the teachers to teach. So, they were given these ideological concepts and very much left to their own devices to come up with their own kind of underpinning to teach it. And now it's all changed again. If the teachers are confused, I'm not at all surprised. I don't know how you make this better and ultimately. You know, and I know that it's the kids who are suffering because it's you and I who are paying for the extra classes after school. Paying through the nose, finding money you don't have to shore up gaps in the knowledge because it's not the teachers. The ideologues are the ones responsible for the mess that education is in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four months ago, Wellington Water said plumbers weren't qualified to repair the capital's water crisis.  However, it's now been revealed that they're more qualified than Wellington Water's own workforce.  Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace told Heather du Plessis-Allan “The Workplace Development Council have agreed the NZQA standards that plumbers do, are more than what Wellington Water requires.”  Wallace said “In February, [Wellington Water] told us they had a workforce crisis, and they couldn't fix the 3,572 leaks at the time.”  He said they make things as difficult as possible. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Agribusiness in Schools in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, NZQA and the primary industries have collaborated to design an agribusiness programme that will prepare the best and brightest students for careers in the primary sector. Beef + Lamb New Zealand have been a proud partner of the programme since its conception in 2014. Hear from founding members John Jackson and Hon Nathan Guy on how the programme began, where the programme is today with Agribusiness Project Curriculum Director. Kerry Allen and hear first hand from current and past students on the impact the programme is having on careers within the food and fibre sector. Find out more at  https://www.agribusiness.school.nz/ 

It's been found the blame lies at NZQA's feet for a number of digital exam assessment glitches.  An independent review found last year's issues —which included trouble saving exam work and lagging— was down to a number of safeguards failing.  Avonside Girls' High School Principal Catherine Law told Mike Hosking that it wasn't catastrophic from their perspective, but some students would've felt that way.  She says the vision for going digital is great but current issues make it difficult.  Law says she's unsure whether we're as prepared for it as previously thought.  NZQA's accepted the findings and apologised.  LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An over achieving Hawkes Bay student, who was named dux 2 years in a row, smashed scholarships in nine subjects and graduated high school at 16, is now studying toward a career in medicine at Otago University. Former Havelock North High student, Tapas Kant has also been recognised by NZQA as a premier award winner for 2023 because he managed four "outstanding" grades in his scholarship subjects scoring a $30,000 grant for study. Tapas Kant speaks to Lisa Owen.

NCEA pass rates have slumped for the third consecutive year. Provisional results released by NZQA yesterday show rates for Year 11 students doing NCEA Level 1 and Year 12 students working towards NCEA Level 2 were down compared to last year. Pass rates for Year 13 students earning NCEA Level 3 and University Entrance were also slightly down. NZQA deputy chief executive for assessment Jann Marshall says three years of Covid-related disruption has contributed to the slump. Jan Tinetti is the Labour Party's education spokesperson and former Education Minister. She spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Three years of Covid-related disruption is being blamed for grades dropping for a third consecutive year. Provisional results from NZQA show results are down across all NCEA levels. Vaughan Couillault is the president of the Secondary Principals' Association and spoke with Charlotte Cook

After-effects of Covid-19 pandemic school decisions are being blamed for dropping NCEA results.   Provisional results indicate pass rates dropped for a third consecutive year.  Almost 50,000 students had accessed their results by late yesterday evening.  Secondary Principals' Association President Vaughan Couillault told Tim Dower that it's not entirely unexpected given the gaps in knowledge teachers have uncovered since Covid.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kathryn speaks with Ana Heremaia, Felicity Brenchley and Jo Walsh from AKAU studio in Kaikohe, in the Far North. They have designed marae, learning centres, civic spaces and housing developments in the region. But AKAU Studio is far more than an architecture practice. They also have a design school for rangitahi that takes them through NZQA accredited courses to Level 3. Since they founded the studio nearly a decade ago, their mission has been to do something about the high rates of truancy, drug and alcohol abuse, youth offending and high unemployment in the Far North. AKAU Studio has just won this year's Institute of Architects' John Sutherland Practice Award.

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The online system for school exams faces a test of its own Wednesday morning when thousands of teenagers try to log-in to the level two English exam. Teachers say it is critical there is no repeat of last week's failure when the Qualifications Authority stopped perhaps a couple of thousand students from joining the level one exam because the system wasn't coping with the volume of log-ins. That glitch came just a week after a similar problem with an online literacy and numeracy test. Education correspondent John Gerritsen reports. NZQA has been approached for comment.

I don't Karl Le Quesne the guy who runs the Electoral Commission.   He seems like a serious sort of man who takes his job seriously which is the kind of person I quite like.   So I have nothing against him, but he has to lose his job over the stuff ups this election.   There have been too many stuff ups:    The problem getting getting the Easy Vote cards out before the election.   The computers system crashed for a while on election day.   They lost an entire box of votes in the final count.   15 seats ended up having wrong final counts.   And finally, they thought it was a good idea to put a voting booth in a marae in Manurewa where the CEO of the marae was running for parliament and won the seat and is now an MP.   If you were generous, and most of us are, you could probably excuse a few counting errors and and a computer system crashing because mistakes happen. But this many mistakes is too many, and there is no excuse for putting the voting booth in the marae.   Sure, Karl wasn't personally counting the votes and running the computer system so you might think it's harsh for him to lose his job.   But here's why he has to: standards, and Karl should be made an example of to the rest of the public service.  Because it is getting sloppy all over the place   Stats NZ stuffed up two censuses in a row, the Electoral Commission stuffed up the election, Adrian Orr stuffed up inflation, Pharmac's CEO got busted writing snarky emails about a journalist cum patient advocate, and today the NZQA stuffed up the NCEA level 1 English exam when the online system couldn't handle 20,000 students and slowed down so badly 10% of them couldn't do it online.  We have a right to expect our public servants to do their jobs to a certain standard and if they don't there should be consequences.    If the incoming government wants to tidy up the public service and get them operating anywhere near the same standard as businesses up and down this country they have the perfect way to send a message.    Start by holding the boss of the Electoral Commission responsible for a job badly done. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disappointment with NZQA after major disruptions for Year 11 students sitting an online exam. More than 20,000 tried to sit the NCEA Level 1 English exam today. But the system buckled under the pressure after about 18-thousand pupils had logged on - and access was cut. Avonside College Principal, Catherine Laws told Heather du Plessis-Allan a number of students were distressed. She says those with special assessment conditions already have barriers to communicating what they want to say, so it was really tough for them.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before discovering homeopathy, Susanna worked in Medical Research at Johns Hopkins Medical School and the University of Virginia Medical Schools in the USA. Her lifelong interest in spirituality however, led her to Scotland where she completed a postgraduate degree in Theology at St Andrews University as well as postgraduate work at Harvard Divinity School. Midway through her theological training she was introduced to homeopathy. After a great personal response to treatment she decided to pursue formal training in homeopathy with the National Center of Homeopathy (USA) and The College of Homeopathy in London in the 1980s.  Before migrating to NZ in 1991, she established a free children's clinic in rural Kent and practiced at the South London Natural Health Centre in Clapham where her special interest in perinatal homeopathy began -- many of her clients were pregnant women and she worked closely with birth educators and midwives at that time. In 1991 Susanna arrived in NZ, began teaching at Wellington College (WCOH), Hahnemann College in Auckland and Bay of Plenty College of Homeopathy (BOPCOH) in Tauranga.  That same year, she co founded a journal for the NZ homeopathic profession: Homeopathy NewZ and set up Selene Homeopathics— to supply quality homeopathic remedies to the profession and community.   She was an editor and co-director of these until 1994 and 1998 respectively.  In the 1990s Susanna continued to practice homeopathy and extend her tertiary education and management skills. In 1991, Susanna registered with and joined the Executive of the NZ Institute of Classical Homeopathy and was appointed Dean of BOPCOH. She served on the NZICH Exec until 1996 and when the New Zealand Council of Homeopaths (NZCH) was formed in 1999, became an Exec, serving til 2006 and then again from 2009-2012.  She was awarded the Life Membership of the NZCH in 2015 . In the early 90's, Susanna established practices in Taupo and Wellington while teaching at WCOH and BOPCOH. From 1994-2012 she served on the NZQA Expert Panel on Homeopathy (which became the Homeopathy Profession Advisory Board in 2008); this group wrote the NZQA Unit Standards for homeopathy and developed the NZQA National Diploma and in 2008 reviewed these and established agreed training standards for the profession.  At BOPCOH she pioneered comprehensive distance education in homeopathy with College founder Greig Follas—initially via VHS, then DVD creating the platform for comprehensive online learning options. In 1995, Susanna settled in Tauranga, became Principal of BOPCOH. She strongly fostered collegiality between NZ homeopaths and overseas colleagues presenting cases and papers at professional conferences in NZ, Australia and USA. Susanna led the College to many significant milestones:accreditation with the NZQA; approval by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for student loans and allowances and approval of the College's Diploma of Homeopathy in Animal Health by NZQA and MOE. In 2004, Susanna was a guest tutor in homeopathy at Hong Kong University and later that year became owner and Principal of Sydney College of Homeopathic Medicine (SCHM).  From 2004-2008 Susanna was Principal and CEO of both BOPCOH and SCHM and managed the NSW registrations and approvals of the Sydney College during that time.  In 2008, Susanna's duties re-focused to NZ when she was appointed Director of Operations NZ for Endeavour College of Natural Therapies which includes ongoing duties as Principal of BOPCOH. From 2012-2020 Susanna took a 'sabbatical' from homeopathic teaching and management. During that time she co-owned and operated a successful VIP Toursim business based in the Port of Tauranga (NZ) catering to International cruise ship visitors.  She returned as Director of the College of Natural Health & Homeopathy (CNHH) in 2021 to help steer the College in its next chapter of growth. Susanna's vision for the profession has been and remains, “to have the highest level of homeopathic treatment available to the greatest number of people (and animals); at a reasonable cost to the consumers and a professional level of remuneration to the practitioners”. She sees the College as a key player in this vision as it works with the wider community to make it happen. Susanna is happily married to Karen.  She is proud co-parent of two successful and happy adult children and has been blessed by the love of many companion animals over the years.  Main hobbies are sustainable food and wine, travel, wellness and following the All Blacks Rugby Union team.

There are concerns that thousands of students at low decile schools are missing out on support that could help them ace their exams. The qualifications authority, NZQA, reports that just three percent of students sitting exams at decile one schools are using Special Assessment Conditions. These can provide students with, for example, an assistant to read exam questions, or to write down their answers, should they struggle to do it themselves. The number of students accessing SACs at Decile 10 schools, meanwhile, is four times higher at 12 per cent. The Dyslexia foundation says this means there are thousands of students across the country not getting the exam help they need. Luka Forman has more.

There's been another drop in students passing their NCEA levels last year, with the achievment rate's falling annually since 2020. NZQA's latest annual report reveals only 65 percent of year 11s passed NCEA level one last year. NZQA Chief Executive Grant Klinkum spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Welcome to the New Zealand Initiative podcast! In this episode, Michael Johnston has a fascinating conversation with Bali Haque, an experienced educator who has held various roles in the education sector. Bali is a well-respected educator, having worked as a teacher, principal, and national education agency executive in New Zealand. This engaging discussion delves into Bali's experiences as Deputy Chief Executive at NZQA, particularly focusing on the reforms to NCEA he oversaw. Bali shares his insights into the cultural and ideological dynamics of the education sector, highlighting the tension between formative and summative assessment and the challenge of maintaining credibility in the face of public expectations. Join us for an insightful conversation as we explore the complexities of education reform and the ongoing quest for an effective and credible education system in New Zealand.

I can't even begin to imagine how frustrating and soul destroying it would be to go into to work every day, wanting to do your best, able to do your best because of years of training and a desire to deliver. And yet, you find yourself working within a framework you don't believe in, and worse, you believe is harming the very people your life's work is to help. I've picked up a bit of this from police officers right now, medical professionals and teachers. But none of them has stated it as clearly as the St. Cuthbert's principal, Justine Mahon. She has so little confidence in the new NCEA Level 1 curriculum the school is ditching the qualification and creating one of its own, a bespoke diploma. Mahon said several of the school's senior academic staff had been on government advisory panels for NZQA's proposed changes to NCEA and had become increasingly concerned about what would be taught in 2024 as she outlined this morning to Mike Hosking. It confirms everything you and I have been saying for so long about education. Our education system is the lowest common denominator. It doesn't challenge the brightest students, yet miraculously manages to leave behind those who need extra support to get where they need to be. It's wishy-washy. It's trying to be all things to all people.  I wonder how many principals would love to do what Justine Mahon has just done and rip up the exam paper and say no, it's not good enough. It's not good enough for what our teachers can teach, and it's not good enough for what our students can learn. We will produce one that will test and challenge the young New Zealanders who are lucky enough to be in our school, and equip them with the tools they need for the future. But where the hell does it leave all those other young New Zealanders? Everybody should be getting a quality high calibre education. They're not. And that is because of the Ministry of Education, not because of our teachers. Surely with one of the top educators in the country looking at NCEA and going, that is not good enough, this must be a pivotal moment in our educational crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A top Auckland private school has so little confidence in the new NCEA Level 1 curriculum it is ditching the qualification in favour of its own Year 11 diploma next year. St Cuthbert's College informed parents Wednesday next year's Year 11 students would not take part in NCEA Level 1 but rather work towards the school's own bespoke Year 11 Diploma. Principal Justine Mahon said several of the school's senior academic staff had been on Government advisory panels for NZQA's proposed changes to NCEA and had become increasingly concerned by what would be taught in 2024. “We don't think it provides sufficient, in-depth learning for our students,” she told the Herald. Auckland Grammar School headmaster Tim O'Connor joined Kerre Woodham to discuss the development. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A top Auckland private school has so little confidence in the new NCEA Level 1 curriculum it is ditching the qualification in favour of its own Year 11 diploma next year. St Cuthbert's College informed parents Wednesday next year's Year 11 students would not take part in NCEA Level 1 but rather work towards the school's own bespoke Year 11 Diploma. Principal Justine Mahon said several of the school's senior academic staff had been on Government advisory panels for NZQA's proposed changes to NCEA and had become increasingly concerned by what would be taught in 2024. “We don't think it provides sufficient, in-depth learning for our students,” she told the Herald. “I'm also concerned about educational standards in New Zealand. Some subjects have been merged so that means that potentially, hundreds of students throughout the country will have a less rigorous conceptual framework.” Chemistry and biology had been merged into one subject as had accounting, business and economics. Several subjects, mostly in the arts, had also been removed. Mahon also believed “fundamentals” like the writing requirement and mathematics had been “dumbed down”. As an example, deputy head of the senior school and head of calculus, Julia Fuge, said the current Level 1 curriculum devoted a third of learning to each of number and algebra, geometry and measurement and statistics and probability. The “refreshed” NZQA curriculum devoted half of the teaching time to statistics and probability and the other half to algebra, measurement, geometry and number. “We feel Level 1 is far too young to reduce the teaching of algebra to an eighth of the course. Like a language, it is very hard to pick up later on and is crucial for our future graduates in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, economics and even statistics itself,” Fuge said. “Currently, Level 1 mathematics has an MCAT exam which is set externally and completed in Term 3 nationally. This keeps standards high and this is being removed in the new 2024 course.” St Cuthbert's College principal Justine Mahon does not believe the "refreshed" NCEA Level 1 provides sufficient, in-depth learning. Photo / File Mahon said the programme would “deliver a world-class, comprehensive curriculum which is intellectually rigorous, well-rounded and more challenging than what is being implemented by NZQA next year”. She said less time on internal assessments and exam leave would provide six more weeks of teaching time allowing subjects to be taught more in-depth. Mahon said there would still be end-of-year exams and other “rigorous and relevant assessments” but it would be less of a focus. “We've got to be careful that assessment doesn't drive learning. That's not to say that we don't have assessment but you've got to be very considered in how you position this.” She said they did not yet know what the new NCEA Level 2 and 3 curriculums would look like but had staff on the panels who would be agitating for a high standard and a strong conceptual framework. “It doesn't only matter to St Cuthbert's girls, it matters to us as educators that throughout the country Level 2 and 3 prepare students for the next step,” she said. “NZQA will have to ensure that they are rigorous otherwise we will be disadvantaging students in their entry into universities. They won't be able to make similar drastic changes to Levels 2 and 3 without compromising students' tertiary opportunities.” St Cuthbert's would continue offering both NCEA and International Baccalaureate qualifications to cater to all students in Year 12 and 13. Mahon said taking part in service projects and co-curricular activities like sport, drama, debating or music were also requirements of the diploma as was a 95 per cent attendance rate. St Cuthbert's College will offer its own Year 11 diploma from next year instead of the new NCEA Level 1. Photo / Supplied One St Cuthbert's parent, who has a daughter in Year 8, said she the school's decision only confirmed her fears about the state of the education system. The mum of three had intended to send her daughter back to public school for her secondary years but was now reconsidering. “I had always thought my kids might go to university in Australia and it just concerns me that they might turn up and be so far behind the eight-ball that they can't catch up,” she said. “I believe in public education. I don't want to be sending my kid to a private school. I want them to go to the local Government school but it just doesn't seem that it's good enough.” Ministry of Education curriculum centre group manager Rob Mill said the Ministry was aware a number of schools had made decisions to reduce or cease participation in NCEA Level 1 since the commencement of the NCEA Review in 2018. Pilots for new NCEA Level 1 standards had been running since 2021 and schools involved had reported students were well prepared for NCEA Level 2, he said. “The Ministry is confident that graduates of the new NCEA Level 1 will be better prepared for deeper and more specialised learning at Levels 2 and 3.” Mill said the Ministry had worked with secondary sector, academic and industry experts to determine the most important learning within each subject which will be assessed through the new Level 1 standards and provide ākonga (students) with a strong foundational understanding of the subject. The new NCEA Level 1 will have fewer larger standards which will support greater coherence in the learning that ākonga experience, he said. But, Epsom MP and Act leader David Seymour said he 100 per cent supported what St Cuthbert's was doing for their students. “They have clearly identified the Government's curriculum does not contain the academic knowledge that they believe their students require to navigate the future.” Seymour said he believed the Government had “stripped academic content out of the curriculum” and questioned the merging of topics and the reduction of content when international comparisons already showed students were falling behind. “I'm so happy for the girls at St Cuthbert's who have a school leader who's prepared to swim against the tide and say this isn't good enough for our students.” “Frankly they have laid down the challenge to the Ministry and to the Government to go back and ask, ‘if it's not good enough for St Cuthbert's how can we say it's good enough for every other student?'” National Education spokeswoman Erica Stanford said it was disappointing but not a surprise that schools were choosing to ditch Level 1. “Schools are telling me they are concerned about the quality and lack of challenge in Labour's curriculum refresh. Our children deserve much better than a Government that is not aspirational for their learning,” she said. National had already outlined its Teaching the Basics Brilliantly plan which would involve a full rewrite of the curriculum, Education Minister Jan Tinetti referred questions to the Ministry of Education. Michael Johnston, the author of the New Zealand Initiative's Save Our Schools report, said he too would be tempted to write his own curriculum if he were in St Cuthbert's position because the New Zealand Curriculum had “no real substance”. NCEA standards often became the default curriculum so trying to back the standards with a more in-depth, coherent programme was positive, Johston said. “If we had a substantive curriculum then schools wouldn't have to spend a lot of time doing that. It's not a desirable situation when schools have to develop their own curricula and if every school did that then we'd have a very inconsistent system.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teachers agree the Qualifications Authority unwittingly made trial NCEA tests too difficult last year. Documents show the Education Ministry warned the authority that the way the reading, writing and maths tests were designed made them harder for some students. The assessments become a compulsory part of NCEA next year and teachers are worried because just 34 percent of students passed the trial writing test. Here's our education correspondent, John Gerritsen.

Today on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute and Kaine Thompson, former Labour Press Secretary joined in on a discussion about the following topics:  Should Christchurch become a super city? Is Auckland a better city because of it? Michael Wood launched a new emissions-focused transport scheme to boost buses and cycleways- and walked it back to focus on an emergency-style policy in a matter of hours. How does this make the Government look? Ministry of Education and NZQA are at odds over the literacy and numeracy tests, with the Ministry of Education wanting tests to be simplified and spell-check to be implemented to boost the grades. Is this the best way to improve our exam results? National's Chris Luxon announced in his State of the Nation speech that Family Boost would give a rebate of up to $75 dollars a week for families earning up to $180,000 dollars a year. Is this a good idea? LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If they can't pass just make the test easier. That was the Education Ministry response to high failure rates in new High School literacy and numeracy tests. Documents obtained by RNZ show the Education Ministry and Qualifications Authority have been at loggerheads after the Education Ministry told the authority in October its design of the tests might have disadvantaged many students, contributing to a 66 percent failure rate in the writing test. The authority dismissed the ministry's fears and suggested the ministry was not respecting the authority's expertise.  Education correspondent John Gerritsen spoke to Corin Dann.  

The National Party's Education spokesperson says children aren't being taught reading, writing and maths properly, which has led to high failure rates in new literacy and numeracy exams. A pilot of new examinations which are set to be introduced next year had pass rates of 34 percent in writing, 56 percent in maths, and 64 percent in reading for the year 10 students who sat the test. National's Erica Stanford says the Ministry is clearly worried about the failure rates, but she says NZQA is doing a good job, and the tests are appropriate. Corin Dann spoke to Erica Stanford, and started by asking what she would do to improve literacy and numeracy standards at school.   

The Ministry of Education is so concerned with fail rates in proposed literacy and numeracy exams, they've asked the Qualifications Authority to allow students to use spell check during testing. A pilot run in the middle of last year with mostly Year 10 students had pass rates of 34 percent in writing, 56 percent in maths, and 64 percent in reading. The Ministry and the NZQA are at loggerheads over the high failure rates, with the Authority refusing to budge on how it plans to test children. Education Minister Jan Tinetti spoke to Guyon Espiner.  

There is a distinct difference between teaching in New Zealand schools and teaching in the USA. In this week's show, we talk about being a teacher in New Zealand with Jo. Jo moved to New Zealand with her family from the US and for the past four years has been working as a primary school teacher at a school near Auckland. If you are moving to New Zealand as a teacher or if you have kids in New Zealand and have ever wondered what life is like for the teacher you are going to LOVE this show! Teaching in New Zealand In this week's podcast episode, Jo offers a wealth of information about working as a teacher in New Zealand. She also answers lots of juicy questions that have been put to her by the members of our private New Zealand Calling Community who are both teachers and parents. If you are thinking of moving to New Zealand and would like to be part of our private community then sign up for our FREE 5-day video guide and at the end of the series, you will be told more about the group! Would You Like To Join Our Private New Zealand Community? Are you Considering Moving To New Zealand and are desperate to know what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE, and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! At the end of the series, you will be offered details of how to become part of our inspiring and growing private New Zealand Calling community. SIGN UP NOW!    Being a Teacher in New Zealand. Questions Covered: What's the difference between private and public schools. Why would anyone pay for a private school in NZ? I'm only a trainee teacher in the UK so I won't have my credentials by the time we move. I do however have a learning and teaching foundation degree (equivalent to level 6 on the NZQA). What are the chances of me getting work within the education system while I hopefully finish off my teacher training in New Zealand.  From a parent standpoint- do kids get homework at primary level, how often and when are they assessed? How structured is the school day/classroom, how much freedom do the kids have? Do they learn about wellbeing, mental health, citizenship, sex and relationship education and when?  What support is there for pupils who are struggling, what stretch is there for able pupils?   How (and how often) do schools communicate with parents?  From a teacher standpoint - can you reasonably do your job within the working week or is it expected you will do many hours more?  Is CPD (continuous professional development) encouraged/supported, are NZ schools collaborative places to work?  Are teachers trusted and respected as professionals? What's the relationship like with parents? What are the frustrations and what are the best bits? How similar are schools - are they all variations on a theme, or do they all have their own "personality" so to speak? What's the resource situation - do schools provide all the resources, or are the staff expected to?  Are NZ schools (I guess I'm thinking of high schools here really) cliquey for the pupils, or are they integrated and accepting?   What do teachers do to help settle immigrant children?  What are the typical differences between low and high decile schools in New Zealand?   Moving to New Zealand? Here's More Content For You! Taranaki. Why We Consider It One Of The BEST Places In NZ To Live. WARNING!! Do Not Say This in New Zealand!! Life in New Zealand Compared to the UK. From a Kiwi Who's Tried Both Leaving America to live in New Zealand 7 Things That Scared us About Moving To New Zealand Living in New Zealand. Why 30% Of Immigrants Go Back Home Moving to New Zealand. The How's, the Whys and the Hoops. Moving to New Zealand. 5 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid Making Americans in New Zealand. Will They Ever Feel at Home?   Interested in Life in New Zealand? Here's More Content For You! Is New Zealand NEGLECTING These Essential Life Skills? Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My...Scary Things in New Zealand 7 Weird Things About New Zealand You Know You're in New Zealand When... Where To Live in New Zealand? North or South Island? Christmas Down Under? Wonderful or Weird?     Behind The Scenes Podcast Episodes (Where we share the things that are happening in our lives right now). Episode #1: Meeting Our Teenage Daughter. Life at 17. Episode #2: Our Son at 20. Homeschooled. No College. Three Jobs. Episode #3: We Met Online. The Māori Subscribers Who Changed Our Lives. Episode #4: The REAL Reason We Left the UK. Episode #5: Quitting School. Now What? Episode #6. Dealing With The Mistakes You Make Online   Can't Wait To Travel Again? Here's Some Inspiring Content For You! 7 Most Beautiful Places on Earth (And Why You Need To Visit Them SOON!  Japanese Culture. 7 Things You Should (Really) Know BEFORE You Go How to Travel The World For Free. Or at Least Very, Very Cheap. Italy Travel (Like You've Never Seen Before. In Your Life.)   Follow us on: YouTube Pinterest Facebook TikTok   Subscribe to us on Apple Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify

Connect with the Members who made this episode happen by Joining our Private NZ Ahead Membership! Are you Considering Moving To New Zealand and are desperate to know what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE, and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! At the end of the series, you will be offered details of how to become part of our inspiring and growing private NZ Ahead community. SIGN UP NOW! Show Notes: In this week's podcast episode, Jo offers a wealth of information about working as a teacher in New Zealand. She also answers lots of juicy questions that have been put to her by the members of our private NZ Ahead Community who are both teachers and parents. Being a Teacher in New Zealand. Questions Covered: What's the difference between private and public schools. Why would anyone pay for a private school in NZ? I'm only a trainee teacher in the UK so I won't have my credentials by the time we move. I do however have a learning and teaching foundation degree (equivalent to level 6 on the NZQA). What are the chances of me getting work within the education system while I hopefully finish off my teacher training in New Zealand? From a parent standpoint- do kids get homework at primary level, how often and when are they assessed? How structured is the school day/classroom, how much freedom do the kids have? Do they learn about wellbeing, mental health, citizenship, sex and relationship education and when? What support is there for pupils who are struggling, what stretch is there for able pupils? How (and how often) do schools communicate with parents? From a teacher standpoint - can you reasonably do your job within the working week or is it expected you will do many hours more? Is CPD (continuous professional development) encouraged/supported, are NZ schools collaborative places to work? Are teachers trusted and respected as professionals? What's the relationship like with parents? What are the frustrations and what are the best bits? How similar are schools - are they all variations on a theme, or do they all have their own "personality" so to speak? What's the resource situation - do schools provide all the resources, or are the staff expected to? Are NZ schools (I guess I'm thinking of high schools here really) cliquey for the pupils, or are they integrated and accepting? What do teachers do to help settle immigrant children? What are the typical differences between low and high decile schools in New Zealand? Connect with the Memebers who asked these questions by Joining our Private NZ Ahead Membership! Are you Considering Moving To New Zealand and are desperate to know what life in New Zealand is (really) like? Do You LOVE New Zealand & dream of moving here one day? Sign up HERE, and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide. A 5 Part Video Series! At the end of the series, you will be offered details of how to become part of our inspiring and growing private NZ Ahead community. SIGN UP NOW!

Before discovering homeopathy, Susanna worked in Medical Research at Johns Hopkins Medical School and the University of Virginia Medical Schools in the USA. Her lifelong interest in spirituality however, led her to Scotland where she completed a postgraduate degree in Theology at St Andrews University as well as postgraduate work at Harvard Divinity School. Midway through her theological training she was introduced to homeopathy. After a great personal response to treatment she decided to pursue formal training in homeopathy with the National Center of Homeopathy (USA) and The College of Homeopathy in London in the 1980s.  Before migrating to NZ in 1991, she established a free children's clinic in rural Kent and practiced at the South London Natural Health Centre in Clapham where her special interest in perinatal homeopathy began -- many of her clients were pregnant women and she worked closely with birth educators and midwives at that time. In 1991 Susanna arrived in NZ, began teaching at Wellington College (WCOH), Hahnemann College in Auckland and Bay of Plenty College of Homeopathy (BOPCOH) in Tauranga.  That same year, she co founded a journal for the NZ homeopathic profession: Homeopathy NewZ and set up Selene Homeopathics— to supply quality homeopathic remedies to the profession and community.   She was an editor and co-director of these until 1994 and 1998 respectively.  In the 1990s Susanna continued to practice homeopathy and extend her tertiary education and management skills. In 1991, Susanna registered with and joined the Executive of the NZ Institute of Classical Homeopathy and was appointed Dean of BOPCOH. She served on the NZICH Exec until 1996 and when the New Zealand Council of Homeopaths (NZCH) was formed in 1999, became an Exec, serving til 2006 and then again from 2009-2012.  She was awarded the Life Membership of the NZCH in 2015 . In the early 90's, Susanna established practices in Taupo and Wellington while teaching at WCOH and BOPCOH. From 1994-2012 she served on the NZQA Expert Panel on Homeopathy (which became the Homeopathy Profession Advisory Board in 2008); this group wrote the NZQA Unit Standards for homeopathy and developed the NZQA National Diploma and in 2008 reviewed these and established agreed training standards for the profession.  At BOPCOH she pioneered comprehensive distance education in homeopathy with College founder Greig Follas—initially via VHS, then DVD creating the platform for comprehensive online learning options. In 1995, Susanna settled in Tauranga, became Principal of BOPCOH. She strongly fostered collegiality between NZ homeopaths and overseas colleagues presenting cases and papers at professional conferences in NZ, Australia and USA. Susanna led the College to many significant milestones:accreditation with the NZQA; approval by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for student loans and allowances and approval of the College's Diploma of Homeopathy in Animal Health by NZQA and MOE. In 2004, Susanna was a guest tutor in homeopathy at Hong Kong University and later that year became owner and Principal of Sydney College of Homeopathic Medicine (SCHM).  From 2004-2008 Susanna was Principal and CEO of both BOPCOH and SCHM and managed the NSW registrations and approvals of the Sydney College during that time.  In 2008, Susanna's duties re-focused to NZ when she was appointed Director of Operations NZ for Endeavour College of Natural Therapies which includes ongoing duties as Principal of BOPCOH. From 2012-2020 Susanna took a 'sabbatical' from homeopathic teaching and management. During that time she co-owned and operated a successful VIP Toursim business based in the Port of Tauranga (NZ) catering to International cruise ship visitors.  She returned as Director of the College of Natural Health & Homeopathy (CNHH) in 2021 to help steer the College in its next chapter of growth. Susanna's vision for the profession has been and remains, “to have the highest level of homeopathic treatment available to the greatest number of people (and animals); at a reasonable cost to the consumers and a professional level of remuneration to the practitioners”. She sees the College as a key player in this vision as it works with the wider community to make it happen. Susanna is happily married to Karen.  She is proud co-parent of two successful and happy adult children and has been blessed by the love of many companion animals over the years.  Main hobbies are sustainable food and wine, travel, wellness and following the All Blacks Rugby Union team.  

Some students outside Auckland say they need more help to recover from the impact of Covid on their learning. NCEA exams have been delayed two weeks, and students who have missed 20 days of school or more are eligible for Learning Recognition Credits, and a lower threshold for University Entrance. Ethan Reille is a Year 12 student at Waitaki Boys High in Oamaru and the chairperson of the Waitaki District Youth Council. He's written to NZQA asking for other options to be considered for students outside of Auckland, including so-called "Covid credits".

The extra credits given to high school students may have helped a lot of them over the line.NCEA marks for 14,000 students have been published this morning.Education Minister Chris Hipkins says the provisional results are similar to - or slightly better than - previous years.He says he had concerns for school leavers, but is really encouraged NCEA numbers for level three are up - relative to in 2019.He's acknowledging the secondary school system for the lengths they went to to ensure NCEA wasn't unduly disrupted, including providing a lot of extra tutorials.Due to last year's challenges, NZQA offered an extra credit for every five credits earned.Papatoetoe High School Principal Vaughn Coillault told Heather du Plessis-Allan they did slightly better than last year, but admits they had a bit of help."That indicates to me that maybe those Learning Recognition Credits, NCEA pitched that fairly well."LISTEN ABOVE 

Tuiloma Gayle Lafaiali’i is from the villages of Sapunaoa and Lalomanu in the district of Falealili, Upolu Samoa on her mother's side and Scotland/Ireland on her dad's side, and was born in Auckland raised in Wellington and is a graduate of Victoria University. ​She has over 20 years work experience in the New Zealand Tertiary Education sector, including seven years at NZQA as the Senior Advisor Pasifika.  ​An experienced senior leader across a range of Private Training Establishments, Tuiloma managed facilities and operations at Laidlaw College (formerly the Bible College of NZ), was General Manager at The Learning Post (an eLearning training Provider) and Academic Director at Educol.  ​Tuiloma is married to Toleafoa Sefa Lafaiali’i, and her other fulltime job is raising their daughter and two dogs Koko Samoa and Milo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A teacher who helped to shape the NCEA secondary school Drama curriculum - and fought to have it included as a NZQA subject - is about to retire after more than 40 years. David Chambers was appointed Christ's College's first Director of Drama in 1998. He's produced more than 100 shows and plays over the years and was recently honoured as a Life Member of Drama NZ by his peers. He also sees Drama as offering students essential skills to help them in the workplace, including communication, teamwork and empathy. Lynn Freeman asked David Chambers when Drama went from being an outside activity, to a subject within the school curriculum.

The Partners Life MatrixThe Customer Outcome Matrix launched by Partners Life in April has been well-received by advisers, says the firm this week. The matrix is a system that includes the insurer surveying customers and marking advisers against a six-point check list that can determine their annual bonuses. The company offers an 80 per cent annual bonus that can be raised to 100 per cent based on survey results.New ad camapignPartners Life has launched a advertising campaign featuring popular nursery rhyme characters to promote the importance of having life insurance. The first one featured Humpty Dumpty, who had a great fall without being insured.New pollWhile dealer group mergers might make for stronger companies, is it good for financial advisers? Cast your vote in this week's poll...Shanks opinionIn an opinion column for RiskInfoNZ, Katrina Shanks of Financial Advice NZ outlines the key points of the incoming regime and what advisers should be doing now to be ready for its introduction on 15 March.NZQAStrategi Institute has retained its status as a Category 1 NZQA training provider. David Greenslade, executive director of Strategi Group, says the institute was described by the NZQA as having ‘excellent' performance in all areas, including its training, teaching, content and student support.MergerThe Health Funds Association of New Zealand has been merged into the Financial Services Council to create a membership association with almost 90 organisations.The Health Funds Association is the industry body for health insurers and was set up in 1989. Membership is voluntary and includes eight health insurers who account for more than 80 per cent of active health insurance policies in New ZealandFree Apple watchAIA NZ is encouraging its customers to improve their fitness levels with a free Apple Watch offer worth up to $699. AIA Vitality members can buy the watch using an interest-free loan arrangement and AIA will make the payments if users' weekly fitness targets are met.AustraliaThe Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has has released a draft information sheet on insurance claims handling and settling. This comes in advance of industry participants needing an AFS licence for claims handling, or to be authorised by another AFS licensee.The Australian regulator says the information sheet follows the introduction of the Financial Sector Reform Bill 2020.The Australian Securities and Investment Commission has has released a draft information sheet on insurance claims handling and settling ahead of incoming regulations... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

End of year NCEA exams begin tomorrow for high schoolers, with more than two-thirds of schools offering exams online this year thanks to a digital push due to Covid-19.More than 120 exams will be held for pupils enrolled in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), which are usually sat by year 11 to 13 students.About 140,000 students will take part, and about a quarter of those will sit the end of year exams online.The exam period was due to start earlier this month, but was delayed to allow more teaching time because of classroom time lost to lockdowns.All students will be kept 1.5 metres apart, exam rooms will be cleaned regularly, and masks can be worn but are not required.Education Minister Chris Hipkins said this year 58 exams are available online, and about 35,000 students from 300 schools are expected to sit them online. Last year about 20,000 students took them online."It is more important than ever that students attend their exams this year," says Kristine Kilkelly, the NZQA Deputy Chief Executive Assessment.This year, to recognise the disruption Covid-19 had on the school year, students can be credited some of the points they need.Students outside of Auckland will be given an extra point for every five earned throughout the year, and students from Auckland will get one extra for every four earned. The amount of extra points available to each student ranges between 8 and 16, depending on the level of qualification and if they're in Auckland or elsewhere.Some University Entrance requirements have been lowered, and certificate and course endorsement requirements have also been lowered.Hipkins said the government has had students' welfare as a top priority, but this year's learners faced extraordinary challenges."I want to congratulate students for their hard work during a year of unprecedented disruption, and I wish students all the best as they begin exams."He said whānau support and encouragement was important to students' success, and recommended using a study plan, planning regular breaks to exercise and relax, and talk to someone if the pressure gets too high.On its website the NZCEA provided tips for studying and managing exam pressure as well as a checklist to ensure students are set up and ready for digital exams.NZQA said students who had dropped out of school during lockdown, or who need extra help to achieve their goals will be able to sign up for summer school with Te Kura (formally the Correspondence School), who have created extra places.By RNZ

On this weeks episode we have Celia sitting down with Kylie Thompson from the University of Waikato. Throughout this episode there is plenty of rich discussion about Kylie's transition from Secondary to Tertiary, initial teacher education, threshold concepts and the challenges facing primary school teachers trying to incorporate quality physical education. Kylie is currently lecturing in Health and PE at the University of Waikato. She was previously an HOD in Auckland, a national moderator at NZQA, an advisor for PENZ, and has just started her doctorate which aims to explore social and emotional learning in PE. Kylie is happiest when adventuring around the north island with her wife and two boys in their bright orange pop top caravan. Follow Kylie on Twitter.

On this weeks episode we have Celia sitting down with Kylie Thompson from the University of Waikato. Throughout this episode there is plenty of rich discussion about Kylie's transition from Secondary to Tertiary, initial teacher education, threshold concepts and the challenges facing primary school teachers trying to incorporate quality physical education.Kylie is currently lecturing in Health and PE at the University of Waikato. She was previously an HOD in Auckland, a national moderator at NZQA, an advisor for PENZ, and has just started her doctorate which aims to explore social and emotional learning in PE. Kylie is happiest when adventuring around the north island with her wife and two boys in their bright orange pop top caravan.Follow Kylie on Twitter.

Esther Whitehead shares in this interview about Neurodiversity.  We also find out about her life story and find out about her childhood and decision to move to New Zealand, how she got involved in Neurodiversity and what it is that we mean when talking about that term.  In particular, what changes might be needed to expand our conversation?  I really enjoyed my conversation with Esther and am sure you will as well.  It is one of 200+ so be sure to check out some of the others at www.theseeds.nz  Dyslexia Foundation of NZ: https://www.dyslexiafoundation.org.nz/about.html Earlier episode about Dyslexia as superpower https://seeds.libsyn.com/dyslexia-as-superpower-with-geoff-bone Bio: Esther comes from a teaching background having taught primary, secondary, and adult students with learning differences in a variety of schools and workplace settings in several countries. Her passion is equity and diversity in learning, and Esther acts as a change-agent - leading professional development in these domains, particularly in workplace settings. She has worked as an independent educator and director of Education Centres in NZ, providing literacy and numeracy tutoring for students in consultation with parents, schools and Special Education Services. Esther manages the DFNZ and works closely with MoE and NZQA on select committees to address necessary changes in the system. Email esther.whitehead@4d.org.nz

On this episode of the podcast, Kylie Wilson, CEO of the New Zealand School of Tourism joins Claire to share her insights on regulatory self-assurance.Recent reports have recommended that ASQA should look at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority's approach when they design their new regulatory model. Kylie explains how different the NZQA's approach is from our current audit model in Australia and why she's passionate about the role the NZQA's reviews play in helping her improve her institution.The most recent NZQA report on the New Zealand School of Tourism is available on the NZQA website (scroll down to external reviews). The NZQA is 'Highly Confident' (the highest ranking) in the NZ School of Tourism's educational performance and their capacity for self-assessment.---------------------------------The ‘What now? What next?’ podcast recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia’s traditional custodians. In the spirit of reconciliation we are proud to recommend John Briggs Consulting as a leader in Reconciliation and Indigenous engagement. To find out more go to www.johnbriggs.net.au

Thrive AdviceTwo FAP support service companies have been launched by Cecilia Farrow, founder of cloud software platform Triplejump. The companies are Financial Advice Provider Services and Thrive Advice.Farrow says advisers in the life insurance sector are looking for partnerships that will give them leverage and differentiation, whether this is supporting their FAP license or the ability to join a FAP license (Thrive Advice says it will hold a FAP).Hardship policiesFinancial Advice New Zealand has compiled a list of insurance company responses to the financial impact of Covid-19 on its customers.The PDF, published by Financial Advice NZ says the information is “…a high-level overview of the life insurance companies' hardship provisions”.Download at RiskInfoNZ.co.nzFinancial Adviser HelpThe Adviser Platform has launched a Claims Committee to help the firm's adviser partners manage problematic claims.Scott Duncan, the company's Head of Compliance & Advice, says the committee features experienced advisers with two being former board members of another aggregator.Poll ResultOur story raising the prospect of insurance company clawbacks after the government's Covid-19-related wage subsidies have ended struck a nerve with financial advisers.In last week's poll we asked if you are concerned about commission claw-backs. While 8% said they aren't sure, 32% said they're not concerned, but 60% of those who voted admitted it is an issue that worries them.Our poll is open for another week; so you still have a chance to cast your vote below.Distance Learning For NZCFS Level 5Financial advisers wanting to study Version 2 of the New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5) via distance learning can enrol at Professional IQ College.The college is the first NZQA accredited private training establishment to launch Version 2 of the core qualificationMental Health HelpHealth insurer Nib and its charitable entity the Nib Foundation has helped mental health company Clearhead launch Telehealth – an AI chatbot that puts people with concerns about their health in touch with mental health practitioners.AIAAIA New Zealand has had its Insurer Financial Strength rating affirmed at ‘AA' (very strong) by ratings agency Fitch.AIA Group is the world's largest life insurance company by market capitalisation. In the 12 months to 31 December 2019, AIA New Zealand paid $476 million in claims.Financial resilience indexThe first in a series of surveys to be commissioned by the Financial Services Council reveals that Covid-19 delivered an unprecedented hit to New Zealanders' financial resilience and wellbeing.The Financial Resilience Index reveals that 40% of people are worried about money, 45% of people are not confident about making financial decisions and 51% of New Zealanders have had their mental health affected money matters. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Northland schools have the lowest attendance rates after the Covid-19 level 4 and level 3 lockdown, with one only getting about quarter of their students back. About 800,000 students were due back in class on Monday for the first full day of school. On average attendance was 79 percent, and that went up only one percent on Tuesday. Secretary for Education Iona Holsted told Checkpoint some iwi remain worried about the spread of coronavirus, there is also anxiety about catching the bus, and some families may have moved to find work.

  Mark Honeybone interviewed David Faulkner who shares his views on the industry, current legislation and future trends within the rental and property management sector. Known as Mr Property Management, David Faulkner is one of the most recognisable figures within the industry. David has done it all in Property Management over a career spanning 15 years. He has worked at the coal-face as a Property Manager before going on to manage one of New Zealand's largest property management portfolios, with 5,000 properties throughout provincial New Zealand. David is the Director of Real iQ, a company dedicated to raising the standard of the Property Management industry within New Zealand. Real iQ is the largest training provider for the NZQA recognised NZ Residential Property Management Level 4 qualification. David is a strong campaigner for regulating the Property Management industry and believes that regulation is on its way. Few people in New Zealand have a greater insight into the residential rental sector than David and in this interview shares his views on the industry, current legislation and future trends within the rental and property management sector.

I was intrigued this morning to read an opinion piece on Tomorrow’s Schools written by Bali Haque.Now Bali Haque is an educational consultant. He has been a principal, deputy principal, head of the department, teacher and deputy chief executive of NZQA. He’s a guy who back in February, said the teachers call for a 14.5 per cent pay rise was not just reasonable but not enough. He wrote in his opinion piece on teachers pay that a teacher is worth as much as a backbencher MP and using that logic a teacher should be paid $164,000 a year.Now what was so intriguing about Bali Haque’s editorial this morning, was that it said that the Tomorrow’s School model belongs in the past and that’s interesting because Bali Haque is the chairman of the Independent Taskforce charged with reviewing the Tomorrow School’s system but it appears before the end of that review he’s already wanting to take the system apart. Maybe I’m just being naïve but it doesn’t sound like the reviewer of the system is going into the review with an open mind.I also wondered whether it was appropriate for him to be writing such thoughts while he’s deep in the process.But the piece was interesting as it went through the history of the model. It sprung out of the Picot report into education by Brian Picot who was a supermarket director and business leader, who believed in market forces and competition and wanted some of those principles introduced into schoolsSo under David Lange, Tomorrow’s Schools was launched in the 90s and it is the most devolved education system in the world. At its essence, it devolved power away from a centralised bureaucracy to the schools themselves and their independent boards. It was thought that they would know more about the community and its needs than faceless administrators in Wellington. And then the schools could do the best job, become the best they could be and win their community.It’s that aspect of competition and bulk funding that gave many the jitters. After all, with competition, you have winners, but you also have losers.Bali Haques' opinion piece focuses on this as the main reason for a new system. As he says “Most of us would expect that our children should have access to quality schooling regardless of where we live, but how can this be achieved when the system is designed to create winner and loser schools?”But I worry that Bali Haques review is about to throw the baby out with the bathwater. New Zealand schools have never been truly competitive with each other with zoning in place. Loser Schools have been rescued by commissioners and central bureaucracy.The devolved power base to the schools themselves though does mean greater flexibility and adaptability to a community’s needs.In this time, when people bemoan the amalgamation of councils and the loss of local representation due to the super cities, why would we want to do the same to our schools?The question I have with you is whether we really want to go back to the old days where the Ministry of Education building in the centre of Wellington was all powerful over the schools in New Zealand from Bluff to Blenheim, Buckland to Balclutha to Bulls.

This week we welcome new 1 News Political Editor Jessica Mutch to Inside Parliament alongside Katie Bradford to discuss New Zealand’s opposite reaction to the rest of the west’s Russian expulsions. We look at questions around Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran’s meeting with former RNZ Head of Content Carol Hirschfeld, and sending a message or misunderstanding? MP Mark Mitchell’s response to a surf club meet with NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft. Finally this week NZQA goes after dodgy education and former Minister of Finance Stephen Joyce retires from Parliament.

“Making life better through technology is my thing” Lukasz Zawilski (@lukaszfromwelly) is the Chief Information Officer at New Zealand Qualifications Authority.An internationally experienced executive and leader with a unique blend of skills and experience gained through working with some of the world's leading organisations. Relocated to New Zealand in 2002 and have been fortunate enough to work with some great organisations across New Zealand & Australia since then.Our discussion leads us to the changing tech world (open data, chat bots, messaging apps, social platforms, cloud services, security etc) and the struggles people face during this change including the impacts on the education sector.Lukas is an entertaining and informative person, it was so much fun talking to him and you can sometimes join him at our recordings of System Error.Bonus: We also chat about the idea of having a Govt CTO.------------------------------------------------------We share the stories from people that work in New Zealand tech, social media, startups. If you have a story or know someone that does - get in touch!Mike Riversdale (@MiramarMike) background is explaining stuff, connecting people and getting things done. Raj Khushal (@nzRaj) background is in video, design, media and making things happen.All our past shows are on our websitehttps://www.accessgranted.nzFollow and Like us on:https://twitter.com/AccessGrantedNZhttps://facebook.com/AccessGrantedNZhttps://linkedin.com/company/access-granted-podcastSubscribe to the show however you want:https://www.accessgranted.nz/subscribe/