Bay of Plenty Polytechnic CEO Alan Hampton says the government’s plan to slash the number of qualifications in New Zealand by 25 per cent is “entirely achievable”. The government has proposed a performance based model for tertiary education funding that would mean a reduction in the number of qualifications offered. Bay of Plenty Polytechnic CEO Alan Hampton. Alan says for a country the size of New Zealand, there are far too many qualifications listed with the New More...

Western Bay of Plenty principals are questioning the government’s truancy rate figures released this week, which show nearly 2000 students are truant in the region every day. “We have to be very careful about what we are saying about these figures,” says Otumoetai College principal Dave Randall. File Picture. He says his school does not have a truancy problem and questions whether the truancy figures from the government reflect the reality of truancy in the More...

Formal intervention by Ministry of Education to the governance of Tauranga Girls’ College is one of the options being considered by the school’s board. This comes after Board of Trustee members, Mike Horsley, Eddie Bauckham and chairperson Judith Logan resigned and in doing so stated ongoing conflicts with the principal due to ‘significant’ issues. TGC board chairperson Ross Brown. A meeting between officials from the Ministry, school trustees and principal Pauline More...

Tahatai Coast School principal Ian Leckie was among the NZEI union members who took their concerns over the controversial national standards system to the parents of Tauranga on Thursday. He and the other union members visited five Tauranga schools on a bus that is travelling through the country as part of the union’s nationwide national standards tour. See video interview below with Tahatai Coast School principal Ian Leckie, one of the NZEI union members who travelled around More...

Papamoa’s Tahatai Coast School is being largely rebuilt because of leaks that have rotted the structure. Underway since January 6 is the total rebuild of one block comprising eight classrooms and the school’s hall. Tahatai Coast School dual principal Jenny Griggs says there is a silver lining to the demolition work. Another four classroom block requires reframing and recladding. The roofs of both blocks have been removed and are now covered with tarpaulins. “It is going More...

Dave Burbery is among the hundreds of students who partied through central Tauranga streets as part of the annual Bay of Plenty Polytechnic student lunch time parade. Dave started the polytechnic’s Certificate in Radio Broadcasting three weeks ago and will complete the course in November. Pictured above: Dave Burberry is starting on a life long dream at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic this year. See below for video interview with Dave and footage of the parade. About 26 other students More...

Three members of the Tauranga Girls’ College Board of Trustees, including chairperson Judith Logan, have resigned because of ‘significant issues’ with the school’s principal Pauline Cowens. Board members Mike Horsley and Eddie Bauckham resigned with Judith – all stating in their resignations ongoing conflicts with the principal. Acting Tauranga Girls’ College Board chairperson Ross Brown says the board will meet with the Ministry of Education and school More...

Dale Carnegie Training Waikato/Bay of Plenty is taking on four Bay of Plenty high school students to hone their communication and people skills. This is part of a new $24,000 scholarship programme, which entitles them to take part in a Dale Carnegie Course; an eight-week programme, which helps people build self confidence; gain people, communication and leadership skills; and learn how to reduce stress and maintain a positive attitude. Emma Raymond, Aroha Hughes; (back) Joseph Mays and More...

Motorists in the Mount Maunganui Primary School area will be extra aware of children riding bikes from Monday morning. The school is the first participant in the ‘Someone’s Kid’ school bag cover project after students were presented with their new piece of riding equipment last Friday. Mount Maunganui Primary School students try out their new hi-viz gear. Kids can Ride coordinator Iris Thomas says this project fits well with Mount Primary because of its More...

Many Western Bay of Plenty primary school principals are wondering if they were snubbed by Minister of Education Anne Tolley after she didn’t invite them to a Tauranga meeting about national standards. The Thursday night meeting in Tauranga was the first of the minister’s nationwide tour designed to help ease public concerns about the national standards system. Minister of Education Anne Tolley. Western Bay of Plenty Principal’s Association president Geoff Opie only More...