Niue’s Education Act to be reviewed

The Ministry of Social Services is looking at reviewing the 1989 Education Act as confirmed by the Director-General Gaylene Tasmania.

According to Tasmania, they are currently drafting the policy brief for Cabinet. She said that the public consultations will begin once a draft bill is produced.

One of the first groups that the Ministry will speak to will be the teachers.

Calling for the review of the Education Act has been a long-standing issue for parents.

Primary school PTA Natasha Toeono Tohovaka told BCN News that she has been advocating for this for many years.

“A group of parents came together in 2016 to try to push for the review of the education act especially in the composition and functions of the school committee.”

Toeone Tohovaka says that in the current Act, the composition of the school committees is based on village council representation and the mandate of the committee is restricted only to the maintenance of the schools.

“Parents agree that the school committees should be made up of parents instead of village council representatives who for the most part do not turn up to the meetings.”

Toeone-Tohovaka said that she has been in caretaker mode as the Primary school committee president for many years. BCN News understands that the Niue High School school committee has been dormant for a number of years now.  

BCN News will be closely following the progress of the review of the Education Act.