Statement of Intent 2013 to 2016 - Human Rights Commission

12 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION | STATEMENT OF INTENTThe Education Review Office has found that schools withinitiatives specific to Mäori and Pacific needs and culturalpractices are more effective in building relationships andenhancing student achievement.The link between poverty and children’s ability to fullyengage in education is critical. Socio-economic factors –including poverty – play a key role in determining inequitableeducational outcomes. The NCEA Level 1 pass rate at thepoorest 30 per cent of schools is only two-thirds that of thewealthiest 30 per cent of schools.In New Zealand, the right to education for studentswith disabilities is not established in a way consistentlyguaranteeing these students the ability to attend their localState school and receive an education aimed at full realisationof their abilities and talents. In 2010, the Education ReviewOffice reviewed how well schools demonstrated inclusivepractices, finding that only 50 per cent of schools surveyedwere fully inclusive, 30 per cent were partially inclusive,and 20 per cent were not inclusive. The Education ReviewOffice will now measure and report on schools’ performancein achieving a fully inclusive school. Evaluation indicatorsinclude: presence, participation and engagement, andachievement of students with high needs. Furthermore, theDisability Convention independent monitoring mechanism,of which the Commission is part, is working on guidelines onreasonable accommodation in education, led by the Office ofthe Ombudsman.The Ministry of Education is prioritising improvement ofeducation outcomes for Mäori students, Pacific students,students with special education needs, and students from lowsocio-economic areas. The Ministry measures the increase inthe number of children accessing early childhood educationas a result of targeted participation projects. This measurecovers all children, but is only disaggregated by threepopulation groups: Mäori, Pacific peoples, and children fromlow socio-economic areas. Educational outcomes for studentswith disabilities are difficult to improve if data is not alsodisaggregated for this group of students.An important aspect to reducing inequalities is access toinformation and communication in indigenous or communitylanguages. There is no national strategy for New ZealandSign Language (NZSL), reflected in a lack of standards andinfrastructure, including insufficient numbers of NZSLinterpreters. Mäori deaf are particularly poorly served, withonly two qualified tri-lingual interpreters in New Zealand.The future of te reo Mäori remains under scrutinyfollowing the 2011 publication of major reports by theWaitangi Tribunal and a Ministerial Review Panel. Thedevelopment of a new Mäori Language Strategy is urgentlyneeded to address issues raised in the reports. The PacificLanguages Framework was completed in 2012, addressingthe declining use of Pacific languages in New Zealand.However, a similar strategy for other community languagesis required in recognition of the importance of languageretention to culture.What we will doOver the next three years, we will deliver services thatincrease awareness and application of human rightsby the State sector and the community in the areas ofemployment and education.We will advocate and encourage implementation of tereo Mäori; NZSL; community languages and strategies;and support promotional language weeks, given theirimportance in building stronger and more productive NewZealand communities.We will scope ways to encourage the scaling of goodpractice in the education system that have led to improvedinclusion and better educational outcomes for studentswho live in economic decile 1–3 areas, and identify howwe can assist this process.Beyond 2013–14, our work will be shaped by the humanrights priorities identified through the second national planof action for the promotion and protection of human rightsin New Zealand.During 2013–14, we will:1 scope ways to encourage the scaling of good practicein the education system that have led to improvedinclusion and better educational outcomes for studentswith disabilities2 provide advice to the State Services Commission, theMinistry of Health and the Ministry of Education onreducing structural discrimination in employment inthe State sector, including advice on pay equity andemployment discrimination