1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,679 Speaker 1: It took a year, but the Education Ministry has finally 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: got its new boss. Allan McGregor read as your new 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: Secretary of Education, she will help drive the government's large 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: scale reform of course in our classrooms. Ellen McGregor readers 5 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,239 Speaker 1: with us. Very good morning to you, Good morning make 6 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: and congratulations to you. Why did the process take so long? 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 2: Oh that's a question for the Public Service Commission. But 8 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: I'm delighted to have the role. I'm really focused on 9 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 2: what's ahead of us and it's a great opportunity. 10 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: How far removed is your job from the day to 11 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 1: day workings of a classroom. 12 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 2: Every day I am thinking about what's going on in 13 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: the classrooms across New Zealand. I spent ten years engaging 14 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 2: in education, being out there in schools. I work with 15 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 2: teachers closely. My core focus ultimately is what is happening 16 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 2: for our children every day in classrooms. 17 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 1: Are we a bit ordinary education in this country? 18 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: We have some strengths in education. You know, it's not 19 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 2: all doom and gloom out there. However, we do know 20 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 2: that we can do better. We have been seeing some 21 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 2: slides and the results for our children. While many of 22 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 2: our children do really well many of our children miss 23 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 2: out and I'm ambitious for our kids. I'm ambitious for 24 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 2: our education system and I think we can get to 25 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 2: the top. 26 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,119 Speaker 1: Why do we not turn up. 27 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 2: To school? I think that you know, we've been a 28 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 2: little bit. Lais a fair on school attendance. It's okay 29 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 2: to miss the day here, It's okay to miss the 30 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:38,119 Speaker 2: day there. Actually it's not. Children need to be at 31 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 2: school to learn. If children are going to get the 32 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 2: best of what we have to offer, and we are 33 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: bringing through a great new curriculum which children are not 34 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: going to want to miss out on, then they really 35 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 2: need to be there at school. How many That's something. 36 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: That no, that's fine. I'm just how much of what 37 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: you do do you need to believe in versus how 38 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: much of what you do you're simply carrying out instructions 39 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: from the government of the day. 40 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 2: As sex to for education. I have to believe we 41 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: are doing the right thing. For me, it is fundamental. 42 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 2: I have to believe that everything we are doing is 43 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 2: going to lift outcomes for children. That is my driving motivation, 44 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 2: that is my driving passion, and I absolutely believe in 45 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 2: what we are doing. 46 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: So you believe in what Erica Stanford's doing. She is 47 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: on the right path. 48 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 2: I believe that having a curriculum that is clear about 49 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 2: the most important learning all children should have access to. 50 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 2: Getting every child the opportunity to thrive, to achieve, to 51 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: do the best they can, to be ambitious for our children, 52 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 2: all our children, is absolutely the right thing to do. 53 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 1: Do you like charter schools? 54 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 2: Our charter schools are a former school. Let's see if 55 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: they work. You know, we've got plenty of places where 56 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 2: people are saying children aren't getting what they need, they 57 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,119 Speaker 2: aren't engaging. Charter schools an opportunity to see if things 58 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 2: can be done differently for those children. So as you 59 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: all right, don't see why we wouldn't try. 60 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: Okay, So as you enter this job, compared us to 61 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: other countries, and where do we sit, how would you 62 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: summize or summarize our state of education this Friday morning 63 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: in November of twenty twenty five. 64 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 2: We're still in the upper end of the OECD, but 65 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 2: we have been flipping and I think we've taken for 66 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 2: granted that we've had a good education system, but we 67 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 2: need to push to continue to have a good education system. 68 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: And more importantly, we deserve and we can have a 69 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 2: great education system well. 70 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: So appreciate your time, good luck with the job. Ellen 71 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: McGregor Reid, who's the Ministry of Education Secretary and chief Executive. 72 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 73 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 2: news talks. 74 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast 75 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: on iHeartRadio.