Discover your rights with the CAB!
Do you know what your rights are at work? How about your rights to do with renting or owning a home? If you buy something that’s faulty do you know what your options are? This CAB Awareness Week from 8-14 April you’re being invited to Discover Your Rights – Tūhuratia ō motika!
Helping people to know what their rights and responsibilities are and how they can act on these is core to what the Citizens Advice Bureau is about. We help people from all walks of life to access the information they need so they are empowered to take next steps and to resolve their problems.
A highlight of this year’s Awareness Week is the launch of the CAB’s new public website - www.cab.org.nz.... After a year of development and user testing, the resulting website provides an accessible, mobile-friendly, knowledgebase of 2,000 questions and answers about people’s rights that are based on real issues confronted by clients.
The information about rights is grounded in the law but is practical and is expressed in a way that’s easy to understand.
The website also provides a directory of more than 30,000 community organisations so that the CAB can help connect people with any additional services they need.
We’re keen to break down any barriers people face in finding out what their rights are. Our new website is a fantastic resource for the whole community, and complements the amazing face-to-face and phone service provided by our skilled and dedicated volunteers.
We invite you to Discover Your Rights with us this Awareness Week by checking out our new website www.cab.org.nz..., calling us 0800 367 222, or by visiting your local CAB. We’re here to help.
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Education changes: Area schools ‘copping it from all directions’
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A North Canterbury principal says area schools are ‘‘copping it from all directions’’ with Government changes to education.
Amuri Area School principal Matt Barlow has written to Education Minister Erica Stanford to ask whether the pace of change can be slowed down.
Area schools cover all year levels from new entrants to year 13, tend to be smaller and are based in rural areas, meaning they face pressures to implement curriculum changes across the board.
‘‘Schools like Rangiora High School don’t have to worry about year 1 to 3 literacy and numeracy, and primary schools don’t have to worry about changes to NCEA.
‘‘We are a bit of an afterthought. Area schools are like an airport and principals are like air traffic controllers, with planes coming from all directions.’’
While some rural school rolls are falling, Amuri Area School is managing a growing roll.
The roll has jumped from 335 to 380 students since the start of 2023, which includes its largest roll of year 7s (50) and year 13s (22).
Barlow said the school is working with the Ministry of Education to design a new building for science, technology and arts classes.
No budget or timeframe has been decided.
Amuri Area School is in Culverden, on the way to Hanmer Springs, and the relative isolation adds to the challenges.
The relief teacher pool is limited, meaning Barlow and his two deputy principals have had to step into the classroom several times this year.
Roger Hornblow became principal at Cheviot Area School in term four last year, having been a long serving primary school principal.
‘‘Area schools are very complex and I don’t think it is appreciated by everybody.
‘‘We are dealing with the NCEA changes and the year 0 to 8 changes. It is really complex.
‘‘But that is part and parcel of the beast and we need to make sure we do it in a way which give students the best outcomes.’’
It means professional development is constant, and Hornblow is pleased with how his staff are stepping up.
He would like to see ‘‘a unified education policy’’ which did not change every time there is a change of Government.
The New Zealand Education Institute Te Riu Roa and the New Zealand Principals' Federation also called on the Government last week to slow down the implementation of new structured math and English curriculum.
New NCEA literacy and numeracy online tests have also come under fire from secondary school principals around the country.
Education Minister Erica Stanford said extra support is being provided to area schools in North Canterbury, with curriculum advisors visiting schools, assisting with teacher only days and providing webinars.
The schools also have the support of the ministry's area school leadership advisor Stephen Beck, who is taking a year out from his role as principal at Hurunui College.
"Support will be ongoing as the local team looks to ensure our rural area schools have the assistance they require to implement and embed these changes."
But she said introducing structured literacy and numeracy will take time, especially for schools teaching it for the first time.
"Embedding a curriculum refresh, running professional development and responding to our sector feedback are things we will work on together over the coming years."
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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