This Supplementary Order Paper amends clause 38, new section 35T(1), in the Education (Update) Amendment Bill, to ensure that only registered schools are eligible to be accredited as a community of online learning, rather than also extending it to bodies corporate and tertiary education providers.

It is important that all primary and secondary students are able to access high quality, free public education that is delivered by registered teachers with practising certificates. Only then can parents can be assured that their children are learning from professionals who have training in teaching the New Zealand Curriculum to these age groups, have professional responsibilities towards the students and the school community, and are able to form meaningful relationships with the students and their parents and whānau.

Currently, new section 35T would allow students to be taken out of the system so that they may instead be subject to teaching by private businesses, online charter schools, which are not accountable to the school community through a Board of Trustees, do not have obligations to work with the school community, and (in the case of bodies corporate and private tertiary education providers) are not accountable or transparent through the Official Information Act 1982 or the Ombudsmen Act 1975. These businesses receive public money that is intended for educating students and are able to keep the profits.

The Regulatory Impact Statement is explicit that the Government’s proposed changes to the Education Act 1989 are for the purpose of introducing other providers to enter the market. There is no evidence provided about better outcomes for students.