Please find linked the response from Hon Paula Bennett to the NCHENZ email of 29 April 2010.
Reply from Paula Bennett
May 20, 2010
DPB work requirements (again)
November 2, 2009
At the beginning of the year the National Government cancelled changes to the work rules for the Domestic Purposes Benefit because of the recession. However Finance Minister Bill English was interviewed recently and said he wanted to tighten the welfare net ‘a bit’ see here and here, this includes “policies to send DPB mums out to work and allow beneficiaries to earn more are both back on the agenda as recession ends”.
Home educators have written to Paula Bennett on this issue in the past see here asking that home educating parents be exempted from these work requirements.
ERO Review Changes
August 7, 2009
“In the past the Education Review Office has reviewed the education of homeschooled students according to a schedule set annually. From 1 July 2009 ERO will carry out reviews only when requested by the Secretary for Education, or in other particular circumstances.”
Please read full notice published on the ERO site and See page 4 of this government review (pdf file)
A quote from the government review document
This programme is considered to be low risk to the education priorities of the Goverment. In 2007/8 ERO completed 644 homeschool reviews from a total of 6169 homeschooled students. ERO could not provide assurance that the terms of the exemption where being met in only 35 of the 644 reviews. This has been the pattern over many years
Each year ERO carries out up to 35 reviews at the request of the Ministry of Education where the Ministry is concerned that the students’ education might be at risk. ERO carries out between 600 to 640 homeschooling reviews every year. This range would reduce to between 25 to 35 reviews(estimated) if only thise requested by the MOE are carried out
“This programme [home education] is considered to be low risk to the education priorities of the Goverment. In 2007/8 ERO completed 644 homeschool reviews from a total of 6169 homeschooled students. ERO could not provide assurance that the terms of the exemption where being met in only 35 of the 644 reviews. This has been the pattern over many years
Each year ERO carries out up to 35 reviews at the request of the Ministry of Education where the Ministry is concerned that the students’ education might be at risk. ERO carries out between 600 to 640 homeschooling reviews every year. This range would reduce to between 25 to 35 reviews (estimated) if only these requested by the MOE are carried out.” emphasis mine
The Ministry of Education has noted that home educated students in the vast majority, having been reviewed over many years, have and are receiving a very good education ( as least as well as a registered school) and so the Government will no longer spend $238,000 on reviews except when a concern is raised.
You may like to read Craig Smith’s comments
NO MORE Home Education ERO REVIEWS!!! and A Bit of Political Advice to Home Educators
