WELLINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government has taken further steps to change New Zealand's public education system with the introduction of legislation changes on Thursday, said Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
"The Education Amendment Bill restores guaranteed places for staff and student representatives on Tertiary Education Institution councils," Hipkins said. This means that all universities and polytechnics will be required to have staff and student representatives as full members of their councils.
"These changes recognize the important perspective staff and students bring to the governance of our tertiary institutions," he said.
The bill also puts an end to national standards and charter schools experiments, the minister said.
"Removing national standards frees up schools to focus more on progress in subjects wider than just literacy and numeracy, to better prepare students for school and life," he said.
The bill also adds further protections to the free tertiary education policy by introducing an offence for those who make a false representation about their eligibility for this policy, Hipkins said.