Latest news with #Otene
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Principals Describe Budget As Bitter Sweet
Principals say the boost to Learning Support from Budget 2025 is the most substantial in years, even though there is a cost through other valuable resources. "For schools, this Budget has delivered a breakthrough. The Government has recognised the intense pressures teachers and principals are under with minimal support," said Leanne Otene, President of the New Zealand Principals' Federation. (NZPF). "We have been calling for a substantial increase to learning support, especially for our most vulnerable tamariki, for years, and at last we have been heard," said Otene. "The Additional Learning Support Coordinators, Teacher Aide hours, 25 new specialist classrooms and specialist services will make a huge difference to our schools," said Otene. "Our only concern is where these people will come from," she said. "We have often been told there are not enough qualified specialists to cover schools' needs and more will have to be trained," she said. Principals were also pleased that the Minister has recognised the role of principals and the minimal support they receive. The additional Leadership Advisors will give confidence to principals, especially those new to the role. "We are thrilled to see an increase in the number of Leadership Advisors. Principals report high satisfaction rates with the existing service which now gets a boost from 16 to 34 Leadership Advisors across the country," she said. "That will still not be enough, but it is a step in the right direction," she said. Otene also acknowledged what services have been reprioritised in the Budget process, "We have lost valued services such as Resource Teachers of Literacy, Resource Teachers of Maori the Kahui Ako collaborations and the halt to pay equity will affect our future Teacher Aide staff." " I call it the 'Bitter-Sweet Budget," said Otene, "because the gains in learning support resources and leadership support are hugely welcome, but it is at the cost of losing other valued resources," she said. Otene was clear that if the new funding is to be effective, it must be 'demand driven' and not restricted to a single Budget. "This funding needs to be locked in and grow to meet the real needs in our schools," said Otene. "This gives us a great kick start, but more is needed for long term changes in learning and behaviour," she said.
NZ Herald
13-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Principals urge more support for students with post-Covid challenges
'This has been steadily increasing since the end of Covid, when we had a huge number of children coming into school that had not had early childhood because of the lockdowns. 'That was overwhelming then, and it continues to be overwhelming.' She said there's been an increase in dysregulated behaviour and undiagnosed needs. 'It's more prevalent in those children who have not had early childhood education, they've had no transition at all. 'Our 5-year-olds are coming to school with oral language so low, we can't communicate with them.' 'These children are swamping classrooms, and they are overwhelming teachers who quite frankly, are already burdened with a great deal of change at pace by this current Government.' The Ministry of Education said it's aware of the impacts of Covid-19 on learning and progress. Operations and integration leader Sean Teddy said there are a range of services available for children experiencing behavioural and communication challenges. 'This includes our Ministry-delivered behaviour and communication service and support provided through the Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour service,' he said. Teddy added additional guidance on social and emotional learning for teachers is online. Otene said this isn't enough. 'This Government and previous Governments have not yet nailed how to support and resource schools adequately for learning support,' she said. 'It starts when those children are at early childhood, it does not start when they're at primary school. 'There needs to be support for transitioning between early childhood and primary school.' A report from education union, NZEI, recommends the Government to invest $2.5 billion in learning support services by 2030 to stop children in need sitting on waiting lists. Otene said schools across New Zealand are grappling with the diverse needs of children without these services. 'This is an embarrassment for our country, the fact that we're not looking after our most vulnerable children, resourcing their needs.' She said there's simply not enough specialists, psychologists and people to help. 'Learning support is the most important and critical issue that principals are dealing with right now. And we are really hoping that this budget, that we see an investment in learning support.' Canterbury University child and family psychology lecturer Sarah Whitcombe-Dobbs said children born during Covid-19 haven't had the same development opportunities as others. Advertise with NZME. 'It hugely depends on that immediate microsystem environment,' she said. 'So it depends on the parents or caregivers or grandparents or other whanau that children are living with, and the quality of that environment.' She said there's clear evidence that increased time on screens is associated with poor oral language development, which is a big predictor of long-term education outcomes. 'During Covid there were a lot more parents needing to use screens more to entertain their children, but for children whose language is just emerging right from birth, there's no developmental benefit to being on a screen," she said. 'We know that there can be some harm because they're not getting that exposure to reciprocal conversation.' Whitcombe-Dobbs said early intervention would help kids struggling from these experiences - but support services are lacking. 'If the Government chose to invest more into the supports for early childhood, particularly in specialist services, then we would see improvements.'
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Maths Support Funding A Mixed Bag Say Principals
"All new funding for curriculum is welcome funding," said Leanne Otene, President of the New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF), in response to the Minister of Education's announcement to fund the mathematics curriculum an additional $100m over four years. The funding is intended for early intervention - $4million for maths checks at year 2 - $56 million for 143 full time maths intervention teachers for targeted support for years 0 - 6 students, and $40million for small group tutoring for up to 34,000 year 7 - 8 students. On the year 2 maths check Otene said, "Our teachers already know the curriculum expectations at year 2, and teachers know which students are not meeting those expectations," she said. "There is much research evidence to show that compulsory testing in primary school leads to negative unintended consequences which are not helpful," said Otene. "What we need is additional support to help develop positive attitudes to maths, and build confidence in our young students," she said, "and $4 million won't be enough to do that. "The $56 million for 143 new full time maths intervention teachers for our year 0-6 children would be very helpful," said Otene, " and if the Minister can find and appoint those teachers full time, that could make a difference,' she said. "The remaining $40million for small group tutoring for year 7-8 students not yet meeting the curriculum expectations, is great, but it would be helpful to first see the outcome of the pilot study currently underway with these students," she said, "before committing to a particular course of action." "The Minister has been clear that the maths intervention money is to target tier 2 support - targeted class intervention, rather than our most vulnerable students requiring tier 3 support," said Otene. "We trust that the Minister is saving her biggest learning support funding boost for Budget Day," she said.
