Yesterday’s experts

Katie Fitzpatrick writes:

Education Minister Chris Hipkins has just appointed a high-level taskforce of five people to lead the review of Tomorrow’s Schools — the school governance structure that has been in place since the 1980s.

To date, the taskforce comprises Bali Haque as chairman (independent consultant who has worked for NZQA, NZ Principals’ Association, PPTA), Dr Cathy Wylie (NZ Council for Educational Research), Professor Mere Berryman (Waikato University and Te Kotahitanga), Professor John O’Neill (Massey University and NZ Association for Research in Education), and Barbara Ala’alatoa (chair of the Education Council).

Each is esteemed and respected within the education community and, as a group, they also appear reasonably diverse.

However, a closer look reveals that they are all representatives of educational institutions, most of which are partially or entirely funded by the Ministry of Education or the Government in some way. As a group then, they largely represent existing sectoral interests.

Yep.

Where is the evidence that the taskforce will employ 21st century thinking when, as a group, they are heavily invested in, and representative of, institutions that reinforce and benefit from the status quo?

It does seemed a missed opportunity.