Submission on the Education and Training Amendment Bill

The Education and Training Amendment Bill would introduce a number of amendments to the Education and Training Act 2020. The Office of the Children’s Commissioner made a submission on this Bill, supporting the amendments aimed at reclassifying Kura Kaupapa Māori as a distinct type of school and expressing caution at the amendment to introduce school Board of Trustees prohibition criteria.

The Children’s Commissioner generally supports this Bill and welcomes the opportunity to ensure greater adherence to the provisions of Te Tiriti and achieving better outcomes for mokopuna Māori to be educated to their fullest potential, including expressing their own identity and language, and to be safe from harm.