More flexibility for schools a good idea

Stuff reports:

The Government has considered giving schools discretionary power to decide their opening hours, and putting one principal in charge of several schools. 

The proposals were contained in a document leaked to Radio New Zealand, which also detailed the idea that schools could own and operate early childhood centres. 

The document followed on from last year’s Taskforce on Regulation as Affecting School Performance, and said education legislation was not clear about what the education system was trying to achieve. 

Radio New Zealand reported the document suggested four specific changes:

* Giving schools greater flexibility to provide early childhood education;

* Giving schools greater flexibility to set their minimum opening hours;

* Letting principals be in charge of more than one school; and

* Extending the National Student Number to support student participation in digital environments.

Schools must be open for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon, which cannot be changed without permission from Education Minister Hekia Parata. 

 

The document proposes removing the requirement for ministerial consent, RNZ reported.