Uncertainty from Picot team

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 245, 8 June 1988, Page 6

Uncertainty from Picot team

The following is a press release from Mr Wayne Costello, the general manager of the Wanganui Education Board, covering the board's view of the recently released Picot Report on the management and ^fficiency of education boards.

"Wanganui Education Board staff are coming to grips with the implications of the Picot report. while being very active behind the scenes, we have not spoken publicly until this time. "As a staff we have met several times and as individuals we have closely observed the media comrhentary. It

would seem to us that the general reaction to date has been favourable and certainly, the Government and Opposition appear to be in accord about the reforms that have been proposed. "Through this press statement we want to signal to our school communities i n particular, that while we as staff members have some reservations about the practical outcomes of some of the taskforce's proposals we nevertheless accept the challenge that might confront us and have accordingly taken initiatives to prepare for that eventuality. "We find ourselves in general agreement with Mr Picot when he says "good people bad system". Wanganui has good people and they are committed to education, just as they are committed to excellence in its delivery of services. We intend being a part of the future, whatever shape it

might finally take and in the interest of a better more flexible system of education administration, we believe it to be very important that the highly regarded skills that we collectively share, must be retained in the education sector. "We have confidence in ourselves and we will be putting together a comprehensive range of services that we will be offering to all educational institutions. "In our submission to the Minister of Education we will propose that a Ministry Office be established in Wanganui in conjunction with an Education Service Centre which will incorporate the advisory services; further that these functions be complemented by the Staff and Review Agency, Parent Advocacy Council and Community Education Forum. "We mentioned earlier that we do have some reservations about some of the proposals; in briefly referring to a few we are very mindful of the position that

that might put us in - perhaps to be labelled as an expected beaureaucratic response. It is however, more than that, as it comes from a wealth of experience in the present system from people who know people. Our dedicated staff of seventy, have a collective education sector service of more than 600 years. "The changes proposed have been referred to as radical, and that they contain an element of risk. We have a worry about that risk. There is a doubt about each community being able to attract trustees. We applaud the principle of putting more money and flexibility at the school door - education boards have been insisting on such an outcome for at least twenty years - to assist school communities being able to interpret the real benefits of such a proposal we believe it important that some costed examples b e produced by Department of Education. The new teacher appointments arrangements need to

be confidently endorsed by the profession - for without that the reforms cannot succeed. "The Minister of Education has stated that there are a number of issues that need to be carefully worked through and we would like to say that w e agree with him wholeheartedly. "We conclude this statement informing our teachers and school committees that we are alive and well, that we will continue with our commitment to excellence in the personable and effective servicing of your needs and to say to you that whatever the future outcomes are to be, we intend being there with you. To not do so is to jeopardise the interests of the children and we will never abandon that responsibility. "We know that the immediate future poses a real degree of uncertainty for us and just as the Picot team have placed an enormous amount of faith in school communities, we hope that our attitude and faith will realise similar benefits."

Wayne

Costello

General Manager, Wanganui Education Board