Ellen MacGregor-Reid: New Secretary of Education on her appointment, intentions for the role

The new Secretary of Education believes it’s not all doom and gloom in our education system. 

Ellen MacGregor-Reid has been given the green light for the next four and a half years. 

She’ll continue to drive the new curriculum alongside Education Minister Erica Stanford. 

MacGregor-Reid told Mike Hosking New Zealand does have some strengths in education, however they know they can do better. 

She says she’s ambitious for the kids, for the education system, and thinks we can get to the top. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It took a year, but the Education Ministry has finally

(00:02):
got its new boss. Allan McGregor read as your new
Secretary of Education, she will help drive the government's large
scale reform of course in our classrooms. Ellen McGregor readers
with us. Very good morning to you, Good morning make
and congratulations to you. Why did the process take so long?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Oh that's a question for the Public Service Commission. But
I'm delighted to have the role. I'm really focused on
what's ahead of us and it's a great opportunity.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
How far removed is your job from the day to
day workings of a classroom.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Every day I am thinking about what's going on in
the classrooms across New Zealand. I spent ten years engaging
in education, being out there in schools. I work with
teachers closely. My core focus ultimately is what is happening
for our children every day in classrooms.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
Are we a bit ordinary education in this country?

Speaker 2 (00:54):
We have some strengths in education. You know, it's not
all doom and gloom out there. However, we do know
that we can do better. We have been seeing some
slides and the results for our children. While many of
our children do really well many of our children miss
out and I'm ambitious for our kids. I'm ambitious for
our education system and I think we can get to

(01:18):
the top.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
Why do we not turn up.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
To school? I think that you know, we've been a
little bit. Lais a fair on school attendance. It's okay
to miss the day here, It's okay to miss the
day there. Actually it's not. Children need to be at
school to learn. If children are going to get the
best of what we have to offer, and we are

(01:43):
bringing through a great new curriculum which children are not
going to want to miss out on, then they really
need to be there at school. How many That's something.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
That no, that's fine. I'm just how much of what
you do do you need to believe in versus how
much of what you do you're simply carrying out instructions
from the government of the day.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
As sex to for education. I have to believe we
are doing the right thing. For me, it is fundamental.
I have to believe that everything we are doing is
going to lift outcomes for children. That is my driving motivation,
that is my driving passion, and I absolutely believe in
what we are doing.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
So you believe in what Erica Stanford's doing. She is
on the right path.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
I believe that having a curriculum that is clear about
the most important learning all children should have access to.
Getting every child the opportunity to thrive, to achieve, to
do the best they can, to be ambitious for our children,
all our children, is absolutely the right thing to do.

Speaker 1 (02:46):
Do you like charter schools?

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Our charter schools are a former school. Let's see if
they work. You know, we've got plenty of places where
people are saying children aren't getting what they need, they
aren't engaging. Charter schools an opportunity to see if things
can be done differently for those children. So as you
all right, don't see why we wouldn't try.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
Okay, So as you enter this job, compared us to
other countries, and where do we sit, how would you
summize or summarize our state of education this Friday morning
in November of twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
We're still in the upper end of the OECD, but
we have been flipping and I think we've taken for
granted that we've had a good education system, but we
need to push to continue to have a good education system.
And more importantly, we deserve and we can have a
great education system well.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
So appreciate your time, good luck with the job. Ellen
McGregor Reid, who's the Ministry of Education Secretary and chief Executive.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
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Speaker 1 (03:47):
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