The Ministerial Cross-Sector Forum on Raising Achievement today discussed the qualities needed by teachers in the 21st century and reviewed the on-going work of sub-groups around priority learner achievement and Public Achievement Information including for Maori-medium learners.

Education Minister and Forum chair, Hekia Parata, says these areas of focus will be critical to ensuring we have an education system that enables all our learners to leave school with the skills they need to reach their potential in the modern economy and society, and make progress towards the Government’s Better Public Service targets.

"We want to have 98 per cent of all new school entrants having participated in quality early childhood education and 85 per cent of 18 year-olds having achieved NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent qualification within five years."

Pauline Winter, who is chairing the current review of the New Zealand Teachers Council, also addressed the Forum outlining the importance of a leading professional body for the teaching profession and requested input from the Forum into the review of the Teachers Council.

"The Forum provided input into the future state for the Teachers Council and also committed to undertake further work to identify how the profession responds to the critical qualities and processes needed to deliver 21st century teaching,’’ says Ms Parata.

The Forum will meet monthly for the rest of the year.