Teacher strikes, declining attendance: Education Minister Jan Tinetti on what is keeping her awake at night

Ongoing strike action, declining attendance rates and making the “right decisions” for her former colleagues.

These are among some of the “many” challenges that are keeping Education Minister Jan Tinetti awake at night after three months in the role.

Tinetti, a Tauranga Labour list MP, is also the Minister of Child Poverty Reduction and Minister for Women. She was appointed Minister of Education in the cabinet reshuffle on January 31.

She was previously the Associate Minister of Education.

Before entering politics, Tinetti spent 20 years working in principal roles across four schools in Southland and Tauranga. She left her last job at Merivale School in 2017 after 11 years.

Reflecting on the past three months, Tinetti said there had been challenges “right across the sector”.

Early childhood workers, primary and secondary school teachers and principals taking strike action had been “front of mind,” she said.

Tinetti, who previously chaired the NZEI Te Riu Roa Principals Council, said she was proud of her former union and the PPTA for taking a stand about issues in the education workforce.

“Everybody has this right to stand up for what they believe in.

“So there’s that side of it that I feel very proud about.”

However, she was also “constantly worried” about how it would further disrupt students learning. This highlighted the importance of coming to a solution quickly, she said.

“I’m always really disappointed when it does go on like this.

“There’s so many things that keep me up at night - this is one of them.”

And she said declining attendance and disengagement from learning were the biggest challenges facing the sector right now.

Tinetti said attendance rates had been declining since 2015 and many young learners had been “disengaged” from learning since the pandemic.

Last year the Ministry of Education released an attendance and engagement strategy and in February Tinetti announced a $74m package which included establishing 82 new roles for attendance officers.

The latest Ministry of Education data showed in term 3 last year just 46 per cent of students attended class regularly - down from 63.1 per cent during the same term in 2021.

Figures also showed ongoing issues with chronic absence - attending class 70 per cent or less - with 12.8 per cent of students in that group - up from 8.8 per cent in the same term in 2021 and 7.4 per cent in 2019.

“I want to make certain that every young person is present and engaged in their learning,’ Tinetti said.

Education Minister Jan Tinetti. Photo / Alex Cairns

“I want them to know that education gives them choices. And those are the changes that I want to see. Not just for some, I want it for all of our young people.”

Asked how her perspective had changed since entering politics, Tinetti said as a principal she did not have “in-depth knowledge of how the system worked from within”.

“I often say now, wouldn’t it be good if both sides had that knowledge?”

Improved understanding of this would bring educators and government “closer together,” she said.

“Education (then) doesn’t become the political football that it has become in this country. I think that’s the way forward in education is to help that really in-depth knowledge of each other’s positions.”

She said it was both a “privilege” and a “big responsibility” having worked in the sector to then step into a ministerial position.

“There are times when I’m going to really annoy the people that I’m passionate about as well. I can’t let people know just exactly why some of the decisions that we make are being made.”

“But at the same time, I hope that people understand the passion that I have and how much I’m actually working to get the right decisions being made.”

Addressing mental health support in Bay of Plenty schools, Tinetti said the Mana Ake – Stronger for Tomorrow programme was “on track” to roll out this year.

Under the programme, workers support schools and whānau when children experience well-being issues such as bullying, parental separation, grief and loss.

While there was not much time to relax, Tinetti said she had made a ritual of walking “every single morning”.

“It is my saviour,” she said.

Next month she was taking part in the 100k’s in 30 Days in support of the Breast Cancer Support Service Tauranga Trust.

“They really supported me when I had breast cancer so this is my way of giving back to them.”

Tinetti acknowledged the past couple of years had been a “really difficult” time for principals in Tauranga, saying the pandemic had exacerbated already existing problems.

“Many of them tell me that they still love their job, but it’s getting harder and harder.

“I know how difficult that job was, I can only imagine what Covid has done to it.”