Student absences, Ministry of Education job cuts, and the school cellphone ban w/ president of SPANZ and principal of Papatoetoe highschool Vaughan Couillault: 23rd April, 2024.

In early April, Christopher Luxon and David Seymour addressed journalists with promises of several policies aimed at reducing absences in public schools. 

These policies join other policies introduced by the current government, such as the school cellphone ban and ban on disposable vapes, which hope to improve education outcomes in our schools and increase attendance. 

Additionally, the government recently announced 565 job cuts in the Ministry of Education, including some currently vacant roles, in part of their larger move to cut costs across all ministries. 

Wire host Castor spoke to the president of the Secondary Principals Association NZ and principal of Papatoetoe highschool, Vaughan Couillault, about these changes and how they affect teachers on the ground in Aotearoa.