Part Two: Statement of the Parties

2.1 The Strategic Vision and Plan

2.1.1 The objective of the Ministerial Taskforce on Secondary Teacher Remuneration (2003) was to develop recommendations to ensure a supply of high quality, appropriately qualified secondary teachers who will improve the learning outcomes of all students in state and state integrated schools.

2.1.2 The Taskforce developed a strategic, longer term perspective on issues facing the secondary teaching sector over the next decade. The Long Term Work Programme and the Strategic Plan agreed in the 2004 settlement of the collective agreement proposed a structured approach to developing and implementing Taskforce recommendations. It was proposed that there would be a series of three year collective agreements to create the environment to implement a workforce improvement strategy which would optimise the quality of educational delivery to secondary students by:

(i) Raising the overall professional capability of the secondary teaching workforce through interventions at each stage of the teaching career, and

(ii) Optimising the recruitment and retention of highly capable and effective secondary teachers.

2.1.3 Through the Long Term Work Programme, the parties commissioned research and developed, implemented and evaluated a number of initiatives. The initiatives were agreed in the 2004 settlement and by way of variation in 2006 and include:

(i) The Australian Council for Educational Research - Secondary Teacher Workload Study Report [2005];

(ii) Time allowances for unit holders;

(iii) The Specialist Classroom Teacher role;

(iv) Middle Management Allowances;

(v) The Head of Department time allowance for supporting beginning teachers;

(vi) Medical retirement;

(vii) Paid sabbatical leave;

(viii) The Senior Subject Adviser pilot in 2007;

(ix) The New Zealand Diploma in Specialist Subjects (Secondary Teacher).

Further development of most of the above initiatives are agreed in this settlement together with new initiatives which include:

(i) Study Support Grants;

(ii) Senior Management Allowances;

(iii) Overseas Teacher Time Allowances;

(iv) Average class size.

2.1.4 The workstream processes will not continue during the term of the current agreement although the Taskforce recommendations will continue to inform future developments in the sector.

2.2 The Shared Vision (2005)

(a) The Shared Vision (2005) developed by the parties in the Long Term Work programme continues to form the basis for the work ahead.

(b) This vision outlines a series of goals that the parties agree in respect of students, teaching and teacher supply and these are headlined by:

(i) Students – "By the end of their schooling students are well-educated in the broadest sense, i.e., a well-rounded person, critically aware and capable of being an active participant in the democratic process and a productive member of society. Students are well grounded in the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and sense of identify they need to take the next steps in their lives successfully."

(ii) Teaching – "Government recognises that successful support for the teaching profession requires the engagement and involvement of teachers. Teaching is a knowledge profession, and teachers are knowledge creators who draw on research, expert advice and support, and knowledge of their own students and learning contexts, to inform their practice. Teaching is a sought after career and a profession held in high regard by teachers, students, families, communities, and the general public."

(iii) Teacher supply – "The system ensures that there is a stable and sufficient supply of well-prepared high quality teachers and leaders to meet the needs of all schools. Teaching attracts top graduates and people from other careers into initial teacher education and the number of applicants exceeds places available. High quality teachers choose to remain in the system."

2.3 Future of Secondary Education Project

The second phase of our strategic work will be shaped by the Minister of Education’s project on the future of secondary education.

The Minister and the Secretary for Education have expressed their firm commitment to a project that looks at the future shape of secondary education.

The project would be of a two year duration, commencing before the end of 2007 and reporting by August 2009.

The project would focus on secondary education and involve engagement with representatives of the sector to gain a common understanding about the future direction of secondary education in New Zealand in the 21st century. The project will reference the Secondary Futures initiative, checking against the preferred vision for secondary education as expressed in that work and working towards the agreed outcomes.

Objectives

The objectives are:

• to gain agreement on the outcomes for all students from education in a 21st century knowledge based society and economy, and
• to understand what needs to be in place to ensure these outcomes are achieved from a secondary schooling perspective.

Specific areas to be considered would include:

• what is taught, how it is taught and how it is assessed (with the proviso that a goal is to build on a strong platform which includes the National Qualifications Framework and the NCEA)
• what needs to change in the current secondary schooling system to support 21st century education through personalising learning, including how secondary schooling is structured and organised
• learning pathways and transitions between primary and secondary, secondary and tertiary, and further learning and the world of work
• how to provide relevant and engaging learning opportunities to a diverse range of students, including focussing on the personalising learning component areas of:
  • effective teaching and strong professional leadership
  • access to a range of curriculum options and resources required to support delivery
  • where and how learning happens and who is involved in learning
  • flexibility in provision across and within schools and other learning organisations
  • use of new technologies to change the way teaching and learning happen, and
  • use of existing resources to support effective learning communities within and across schools.
  • referral for further work on issues including staffing and other resources.

  Process

  • The project would be supported by the ministry who will provide the secretariat. The Minister will determine the Chairperson.
  • A steering group would be comprised of the key stakeholders and sector groups would form an advisory group.
  • A project plan would be developed with milestones for delivery of progress reports.
  • Where there are proposals developed during the process, these will form part of the milestone reports.
  • Any issues requiring modification to the STCA, including by variation, will be considered in appropriate fora.