Introduction from the Chief Executive

We are facing change in education in New Zealand. Knowledge is expanding at a breathtaking pace. The education system must support every child to learn so that they can manage the demands of changing information, technology, work and social conditions. Children and young people need to live and learn in an environment that is caring, challenging and safe, where values are clear and diversity is respected, and where they learn to care and stand up for what is good in our society and recognise and change what is wrong.

To achieve this we need to focus on policies and programmes that raise student achievement in a cost effective way. The Government has determined priority outcomes for the education sector which will see us focus our work on areas that we know will make the greatest difference.

We know participation in high quality early childhood education gives children the foundation skills they require to succeed at school and later in life. We are concerned that some groups are not accessing early childhood education. Improving participation for these groups will continue to be a focus for the Ministry.

We also know that good literacy and numeracy skills are essential for the success of students. We want every child to reach National Standards of literacy and numeracy and to receive help when they are having difficulties. We also want parents to have access to clear information about how their children are progressing towards achieving the National Standards so they can become more involved in, and informed about, their children’s learning.

As part of our focus on having every student under the age of 18 in work, education or training, we need a wide range of learning opportunities in schools. We want schools developing partnerships with training and tertiary providers and local businesses to ensure that all students, including those with special education needs, leave education with a meaningful qualification.

The tertiary education sector has a key role in ensuring that the programmes it provides are responsive to meeting demand from students and the needs of the economy. We will be renewing the strategy for the tertiary education system to ensure it maintains high quality tertiary education for a broad group of New Zealanders at a price Government can afford.

Woven throughout all the Ministry’s work is the strategy for improving equity in the education system for and with Māori, Ka Hikitia – Managing for Success. It is a broad reaching programme of action spanning the entire education sector, with demanding goals to be achieved by the Ministry and across the sector by 2012. Raising the achievement of Māori students continues to be a major focus for the Ministry, from early childhood education through to the tertiary sector.

The Ministry has a key role in ensuring children and young people with disabilities and special education needs enjoy access to participation in educational opportunities. This will be achieved by improving the management of the system as a whole and by the support from our specialist services. We must also address issues in the education system that do not support achievement in education for Pasifika.

We will manage the implementation of the new National Curriculum and of National Standards in literacy and numeracy, the implementation of the new Māori curriculum, a review of the National Education Guidelines, triennial board elections, fine tuning of NCEA and the implementation of the Youth Guarantee policy. We need to work together to support these key initiatives.

Karen Sewell
Secretary for Education

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Chief Executive Statement of Responsibility

In signing this statement, I acknowledge that I am responsible for the information contained in the Statement of Intent for the Ministry of Education. This information has been prepared in accordance with the Public Finance Act 1989. It is also consistent with the proposed appropriations set out in the Appropriations (2009/10 Estimates) Bill, as presented to the House of Representatives in accordance with section 13 of the Public Finance Act 1989, and with existing appropriations and financial authorities.

Karen Sewell
Secretary for Education

Tina Cornelius
Chief Financial Officer