This is edition 2026/030 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Hi all,
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
The Teaching Council and the rot at the heart of NZ’s public sector
Bryce Edwards
- 📚 Teaching Council's Failures: The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand is failing to meet its core responsibilities, with conflicts of interest, procurement failures, and a culture prioritizing popularity over child safety and regulation.
- 💰 Procurement Scandal: The council awarded $1.7 million in contracts to an agency run by the CEO's husband, with questionable processes, inflated contract prices, and poor oversight.
- ⚖️ Regulatory Dysfunction: An independent review revealed the council focused more on pleasing teachers than enforcing regulations. It failed to address child safety concerns adequately.
- 💸 Irrelevant Spending: The council spent millions on projects unrelated to its core mission, such as digital engagement and anti-racism programs, which teachers had to fund through skyrocketing fees.
- 🛑 Child Safety Failures: A convicted child sex offender slipped through the council's vetting process, leading to abuse. Despite having information, the council did not act.
- 👥 Conflicts of Interest: Chair David Ferguson had close ties to the Education Minister, raising questions about cronyism, especially given his role in approving teacher training programs.
- ⚖️ Governance Concerns: The appointment of an acting CEO violated legal rules, and the council's leadership was marked by poor governance and legal gymnastics to sidestep accountability.
- 🏛️ Ministerial Power Grab: The government's reform bill could centralize control over education, potentially weakening teacher autonomy and professionalism.
- 🔍 Wider Problem: This saga highlights systemic failures in New Zealand's public institutions, where transparency is lacking, and accountability is absent, benefiting well-connected elites.
- 🚨 Restoring Trust: To restore trust, the council needs more than just board changes; it requires real accountability and a cultural shift away from cronyism.
