1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: David Seamore's had a big week. The charter school's law 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: got past and now another move around. True and see 3 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: the star scheme is coming, stepped attendance response scheme. Five days, 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: we ask a few questions. Ten days a term we 5 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: have a meeting. Fifteen He comes to the Ministry Associated 6 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: Education Minister. David Seamore's with us. Very good morning to you, 7 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: Good morning May and ironic today that they're on strike 8 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: for the climate again. So what should they do under 9 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: the rules. Would this be one of the five days 10 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 1: you didn't turn up? 11 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 2: Well, I'd urge the schools to mark this as an 12 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: unjustified absence. I know there's been examples in the past 13 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 2: where teachers have actually tried to say that going on 14 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 2: the school strike for climate is somehow a useful academic exercise. 15 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 2: Now that actually worries for two reasons. One is that 16 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 2: to the extent you're worried about climate change, for people 17 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 2: to keep their living standards and admit less, we're going 18 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 2: to need a huge amount of science. So a good 19 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 2: place to learn that is actually school. But second of all, 20 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: I'm increasingly worried about the ount of anxiety young people 21 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 2: have by being told that it's all hopeless and school 22 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 2: strike for climate seems to say it's all terrible. You know, 23 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: last time I saw our kid on TV say I'm 24 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: literally going to die from climate change, which is possibly 25 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,559 Speaker 2: a misuse of literally, but it speaks to the fact 26 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 2: that they've been taught hopelessness and actually kids will be 27 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 2: much better at school learning the kind of knowledge that 28 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 2: will help the next generation. Sold are technical and scientific problems. 29 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 1: Indeed, So what's your biggest battle with parents of the 30 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: school If the school for today, for example, doesn't mark 31 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: the medicine that's on the school, what do you do 32 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: about the schools? 33 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 2: Well, ultimately we just get the data. You know. I'm 34 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 2: not neither meaning nor the Ministry of Education are going 35 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: to go and stand over you know, every office lady 36 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 2: in every school in New Zealand and make sure that 37 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: the marking the right letters. So, you know, some of 38 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 2: the s MIC is that the government has a role, 39 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: But the points of the Star system as it actually 40 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: sets out that the schools have a role. So I'm 41 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 2: saying it right now, you know, please take this seriously. 42 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 2: The government has a role coming in with more prosecutions 43 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: and more support for schools, but parents have a role 44 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: and students have a role, and ultimately it's a huge 45 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: problem for New Zealand, not one that we're thrilled to 46 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 2: have inherited, but we're determined to fix and that's going 47 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 2: to require all four of those actors having a role 48 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 2: to play at each step of attendance or non attendance exactly. 49 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:32,119 Speaker 1: So when you mix that in with your charter law 50 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: this week, do you feel that you're starting to make 51 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: a difference. 52 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the government right across the board also 53 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 2: with the curriculum changes that Eric Stanford is bringing in, 54 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,679 Speaker 2: we're starting to restore the idea that New Zealand is 55 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 2: a place that has succeeded largely because we pass so 56 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 2: much knowledge from one generation to the next. And I 57 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 2: was at the celebration of Cami last night, the firm 58 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: that has just had a three hundred million dollar exit 59 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,239 Speaker 2: to a US buyer. Fantastic success, mostly people in the 60 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 2: early thirties of Bolve, but one of the people there 61 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:15,399 Speaker 2: actually thanks for the New Zealand education system because they'd 62 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 2: been able to employ people one hundred and twenty people 63 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 2: now who make that business work. And I think it's 64 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 2: just a great reminder of how you know an educated 65 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 2: population can solve amazing problems. Interestingly enough selling products to 66 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 2: the American education system to help me out. But you 67 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 2: know an uneducated population can squander great prosperity. 68 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: Good sum have a good weekend. David Seymour, the Associate 69 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: Education Ministry. 70 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 2: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 71 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 2: news talks that'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 72 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.