I Submit
but not to Ceasar
Last day for submissions on this one. The Education and Training Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025 Though a rather general and perhaps desperate last minute stuff kinda submission, this is still something I am very passionate about after a long and dedicated career as a teacher. A much loved teacher. It is an opportunity to have a voice in our democracy. Whether read or not, for me it is an important power to exercise.
Something Cristina said on this bill.
The added benefit has been getting in the swing for my RSB submission soon. That will be more focused as I know more about it from all the excellent reads here on SubStack and NZ media that tells it like it is..
Here are some excellent links for help with the RSB, due by June 26th. There is a passionate community here supporting submissions. Not in any ranked order.
Parliament Page for Submissions
How the RSB impacts you tool (brillaint tool)
Melanie Nelson Discussions. Melanie is a legend, a wahine toa!
Melanie Nelson on the RSB tool
Rebecca Sinclair Submission She invites you to draw on this.
RNZ RSB Summary, highly recommended by Melanie and Ryan ward
Melanie Nelson. Lots of links here
Dr Ryan Ward a legend with great links and info around the RSB and more
Lots more out there on the RSB from legendary kiwis against this piece of shite legislation from ACT, that must be opposed, yet again….it’s been tried to get passed before, so not it’s first rodeo. Why now and again we wonder out loud?
Submissions do make a difference.
They are not that hard to do.
So now sharing my latest use of my voice. And the old mush behind it all. :-)
Submission to the Education and Workforce Select Committee On the Education and Training Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025
Submitted by Graham Hughes, retired teacher, 1980-2021
My name is Graham Hughes, and I am submitting this response in my capacity as a retired primary school teacher, trained at Epsom Teachers College in 1980 - 1982 and was released into the education world to engage and excite minds about learning, and how to learn in 1982.
I had a long and wonderful career as a teacher, and it is from this wonder, knowings and lifetime of learning about learning and the learner, and the art of teaching and learning, it is from this kete of knowledge and experiences that I make this humble submission.
I thank the committee for the opportunity to do so and their willingness to listen to what people in all their varied responses and knowings speak to in this bill.
Once Aotearoa New Zealand was a nation that contained teachers and thinkers that were luminaries and radicals in approaches to teaching and learning, and the world of the child.
These names are largely unknown now it seems, as the student focused ideas and learning environment theories they held are being cast aside for educational theory and beliefs that don't bring any value to the widest prescription of learning. They adhere to more neo liberal thinkings, and seem more rooted in political thought and ideology than educational, learning and teaching thought, ideology and philosophy.
People like: Sylvia Ashton-Warner, Elwyn Richardson, Doreen Blumhardt,
Our education system despite the continued bashings is seriously worthy of respect.
Aotearoa New Zealand is known for innovation and improvisation. The current direction as stated in this bill, seems anything but representing the 'kiwi' way of innovation and progressive thought.
It is prescriptive and limiting and I wonder at it's relevance in such a fast changing world, where knowledge is not static, and sciences contribute continually to what we know about cognitve functioning and learning.
The direction we are heading feels like stepping back into the past. The world has changed.
Recommendations
I am really pleased that Te Tiriti o Waitangi is still acknowledged as being of paramount concern in this bill.
That Te Reo is held as a valued learning and is supported.
One aspect that concerns me is the focus on assessment results and the learning environment in ways that devalue a broader and more holistic approach to learning and the learning environment. eg, the devaluing of play and it's place in learning. Play is childs work.
I hope that success as a learner or as an institution is seen as has wider values than just assessment examination type criteria. That evaluation is wider than testing alone. Education is multifaceted..............
I hope that is a built in fundemental value at all levels of education in Aotearoa/NZ.
My final hope in the passage of this bill is for a wider understanding around attendance.
Attendance or should we say non attendance, is an issue wider than holding a big stick over families or parents.
Non attendance is reflective of many issues for families, individuals and society. Treating non attendance by punitive means alone reflects a shallow and somewhat cowardly approach to trying to change behaviours.
Non attendance to school is about poverty and other social issues existing in society that the government needs to address.
I hope that the bill might be amended to show understanding of the wider issues that institutions face, that families face, that teachers face.
I hope with this bill, that thinking more widely like our proud tradition of educational innovators did and do, past and present, as opposed to thinking narrowly, prescriptively and punitively with measures in education and moderating learning intent and environments.
I would hope we could emulate successful systems and countries like Finland, countries that score continually as being countries that lead in society and education.
This is where we could be looking. Looking towards innovation and societal changes to support a top class education system.
Education is not about the test.
Education is NOT just about the tests and stats.
Some aspects of education cannot be measured in realtime, they reveal themselves in the future. We all know that!
Thank you.
I hope we hold strongly to what is great about 'kiwi' education, and make changes that take us into visionary education and not punitive test focused education. That we tend towards the courage of radical as opposed to backwards thinking and adopting things that don't work and have been abandoned by other countries for the lack of an evidence base.
Kia kaha
Graham Hughes
ex teacher of over 30 years
68 years old and loved teaching and learning. A much loved teacher.
As always, if you got this far, thanks for being here. It is appreciated.
If you missed my last post, huh, the last post LOL here tis.
Namaste
Graham
Great submission. Thanks for the shout-out.
I love teachers. A good teacher is an angel sent from God. Good job.