12 December 2021
Ref: OIA0404
J Turner
[FYI request #17333 email]
Dear J Turner
Thank you for your email of 25 October 2021 requesting the following information:
Information on who from the education sector was consulted on as part of the decision to
allow students from years 11- 13 to return to Auckland schools prior to widespread
vaccination.
I am particularly interested in how teachers were consulted, as well as principals.
May I also have the name of the Health Experts who recommended this move.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The reopening of learning onsite to all students is critical for their learning and therefore the
country’s future and is based on advice from Public Health experts.
As well as supporting our senior students with NCEA, there are considerable wellbeing
benefits to having rangatahi learning face to face. We know that many of our ākonga have
found distance learning very difficult, and in some cases impossible to maintain.
Senior secondary students returning to schools and kura are already well practiced in following
the public health requirements and understanding why that is important, not only for
themselves but also for their whanau and friends.
This decision was made in line with public health advice. Director of Public Health Dr Caroline
McElnay has made a statement supporting the return of students to learning on site. The
statement is publicly available her
e: COVID-19 update – 10 November (mailchi.mp)
Consultation on the decision to allow students from years 11-13 to return to Auckland
schools
During the first lockdown in 2020 the Ministry of Education established regular virtual meetings
with members of the schooling peak bodies, including national principals’ associations and
teacher unions. During the ongoing Auckland lockdown, the Ministry has also had regular
contact with Auckland Primary and Secondary Principals’ Associations. These are informal
engagements and the participants are not expected to represent the views of their
organisations in these conversations.
I’m told these meetings provide a useful and timely way to share information and insights, and
identify and manage emerging issues. They are also an opportunity to test ideas and
approaches from an on the ground/operational perspective.
I am advised that the Ministry discussed approaches to safely increasing access to face-to-
face learning through these networks, in order to gain ideas and views about how this could
be managed.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review this
decision. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or Office of the
Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Yours sincerely
Chris Hipkins
Minister of Education
