September 18, 2025 • 6 mins
Kerry Allen says common sense has been made around the decision to keep Agri Business in school cirriculums.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
This says the Muster on Hakanui. Carrie Ellen is involved
with agro business and schools. Now, Carrie, we've had her
on the Muster a couple of times before we caught
up with her at the National Field days back in
Jeune and Hamilton. She's involved with Saint Paul's Collegiate where
agribusiness of schools is very much a driving force of
the school curriculum. Now, the decision came out earlier this
week that the government is going to retract on its
(00:29):
original plans regarding agribusiness and it's staying on the curriculum now.
But why it ever got to this stage still, the
mind is boggling regarding it. Really, Carrie, good afternoon. Now
you've had a hell of a week. ID imagine all
the emotions will be all over the show.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Ah.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Last week's announcement by the Ministry of Education was a surprise. Yes,
so we went straight from being shocked to been angry
to probably then just working out what our plan was
to see if we could lobby to get that reversed.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
It sounds like all the stages of grief, but ultimately
it shouldn't have cared shouldn't have occurred.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
No, No, it was probably a bit of lack of
consults consultation with the sector and in particular with agribusiness
in Schools Teachers Association, it was, as I very surprising,
and yeah, it was a pretty they couldn't just pick
up the phone and have talked to us.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Was that the biggest thing for you in this There
was no communication from the ministry yep.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
That was very distressing to think that while we have
been working with them on other issues, they didn't consult
with us on this issue. I do know that we're
not the only subject association for that to happen to.
There were a number of other subjects dropped in that
announcement last week and most of them haven't been consulted either.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
But for a government the cause it's self farmers friendly,
the fact that even gotten this far is concerning.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Yeah, it was very stressing. It shows a very lack
of understanding by the ministry about agriculture and horticultural science
and also about agribusiness. I don't think they actually understand
what we teach them, why and who are the students
that we're aiming at. So yes, it would be yeah,
(02:25):
it was very surprising that it had got the stars.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Yeah, so what was the response like from the students
at St. Paul's because I know this is very much
a part of the curriculum.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yes, well, I actually didn't have time to discuss it
with them, to be perfectly honest, we were in the
middle of parent teacher interviews. So, but I had been
in contact with lots of other schools around the country.
So Napier boys with Rex Human who's the president of Harsher.
I know that he spoke to his students and they
(02:57):
all started lobbying and were up in arms about it.
But I had numerous contact with lots of other teachers
around the country and ex pupils are basically wondering why
this had come about.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
So it got to the point the former students for
lobbying as well to get this back in.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yes, yes, we've had lots of One good thing to
come out of it is we've had lots of contact
with previous students right across the country, so not just
me personally, but a lot of ag caught in agriculture
and horticulture teachers as well as agribusiness teachers, and it's
been great to hear where those students have ended up
in what they've done in the industry.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
So it's been from right throughout the country like down
south as well where it is taught.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yes, yes, that's right, yep, Yeah, it's We're in one
hundred and twenty five schools last year, so yeah, right
across the country yep.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
So what was the biggest concern from your Angele Carey
if it was dropped from the curriculum.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
My biggest concern was that it was there as a
vocational pathway. But the majority of our students that go
through in the agribusiness program are students that not necessarily
want to go on farm, on boat, on orchard and forest.
They actually want to be down the value chain, so
from that farm gate, orchard gate, from the boat right
the way through to the consumer. So these are students
(04:14):
that want to have a really good understanding of the
primary industries, but are going to be lawyers, accountants, marketers,
logistics you know, and transport, et cetera getting that product
you to the market and to our consumers. So they're
more likely to go on to tertiory education, not necessarily
(04:37):
but more likely to do so. And so therefore do
need that academic pathway.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Because I remember you're talking at Fielders about all the
students involved with agri business and the likes it had
to be part of innovations of field days and your
students were there in massive numbers as well. It has
to be said, it's certainly very popular.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yes, that's right. Yeah, I mean that's a great thing
about the agribusiness program is the innovation and getting them
to future proof and to think about what can you know,
what they can do to mitigate or solve some problems.
So yeah, those are the type of things that would
have just been gone if we hadn't have been in
the curriculum. And we're very supportive of the vocational pathway.
(05:17):
That pathway is needed. We definitely need skills on vote
on or to on farm and forest, but that doesn't
attract everybody. So we want to make sure that we're
getting as many people, many students as we can into
the industry.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
What's the season like in the White Kato Carrie.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Currently sunny, It's been quite warm, womish and lots of rain.
So yeah, the rain can sort of stop now and
come out, that would be great.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Are you still grummy? The South and top the shield
off you.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Oh no, I moved on from there. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Time moves very quickly at the moment. Carry Ellen, thanks
very much for your time on the master of this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
No problem, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Andy, carry on talking about agrobuss and schools. This is
a good news story of the week in particular in
which there's been a million stories coming out about anything
and everything. Le ust to be honest, just one of
those weeks really, so there will be in a little
bit hectic talking hectic the weather. Phil Dunkan from weather
Watch feels insid and what's happening for the next seven days.
This says the Muster on Hakanui. Carrie Ellen is involved
with agro business and schools. Now, Carrie, we've had her
on the Muster a couple of times before we caught
up with her at the National Field days back in
Jeune and Hamilton. She's involved with Saint Paul's Collegiate where
agribusiness of schools is very much a driving force of
the school curriculum. Now, the decision came out earlier this
week that the government is going to retract on its
(00:29):
original plans regarding agribusiness and it's staying on the curriculum now.
But why it ever got to this stage still, the
mind is boggling regarding it. Really, Carrie, good afternoon. Now
you've had a hell of a week. ID imagine all
the emotions will be all over the show.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Ah.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Last week's announcement by the Ministry of Education was a surprise. Yes,
so we went straight from being shocked to been angry
to probably then just working out what our plan was
to see if we could lobby to get that reversed.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
It sounds like all the stages of grief, but ultimately
it shouldn't have cared shouldn't have occurred.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
No, No, it was probably a bit of lack of
consults consultation with the sector and in particular with agribusiness
in Schools Teachers Association, it was, as I very surprising,
and yeah, it was a pretty they couldn't just pick
up the phone and have talked to us.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Was that the biggest thing for you in this There
was no communication from the ministry yep.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
That was very distressing to think that while we have
been working with them on other issues, they didn't consult
with us on this issue. I do know that we're
not the only subject association for that to happen to.
There were a number of other subjects dropped in that
announcement last week and most of them haven't been consulted either.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
But for a government the cause it's self farmers friendly,
the fact that even gotten this far is concerning.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Yeah, it was very stressing. It shows a very lack
of understanding by the ministry about agriculture and horticultural science
and also about agribusiness. I don't think they actually understand
what we teach them, why and who are the students
that we're aiming at. So yes, it would be yeah,
(02:25):
it was very surprising that it had got the stars.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Yeah, so what was the response like from the students
at St. Paul's because I know this is very much
a part of the curriculum.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yes, well, I actually didn't have time to discuss it
with them, to be perfectly honest, we were in the
middle of parent teacher interviews. So, but I had been
in contact with lots of other schools around the country.
So Napier boys with Rex Human who's the president of Harsher.
I know that he spoke to his students and they
(02:57):
all started lobbying and were up in arms about it.
But I had numerous contact with lots of other teachers
around the country and ex pupils are basically wondering why
this had come about.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
So it got to the point the former students for
lobbying as well to get this back in.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yes, yes, we've had lots of One good thing to
come out of it is we've had lots of contact
with previous students right across the country, so not just
me personally, but a lot of ag caught in agriculture
and horticulture teachers as well as agribusiness teachers, and it's
been great to hear where those students have ended up
in what they've done in the industry.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
So it's been from right throughout the country like down
south as well where it is taught.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yes, yes, that's right, yep, Yeah, it's We're in one
hundred and twenty five schools last year, so yeah, right
across the country yep.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
So what was the biggest concern from your Angele Carey
if it was dropped from the curriculum.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
My biggest concern was that it was there as a
vocational pathway. But the majority of our students that go
through in the agribusiness program are students that not necessarily
want to go on farm, on boat, on orchard and forest.
They actually want to be down the value chain, so
from that farm gate, orchard gate, from the boat right
the way through to the consumer. So these are students
(04:14):
that want to have a really good understanding of the
primary industries, but are going to be lawyers, accountants, marketers,
logistics you know, and transport, et cetera getting that product
you to the market and to our consumers. So they're
more likely to go on to tertiory education, not necessarily
(04:37):
but more likely to do so. And so therefore do
need that academic pathway.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Because I remember you're talking at Fielders about all the
students involved with agri business and the likes it had
to be part of innovations of field days and your
students were there in massive numbers as well. It has
to be said, it's certainly very popular.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yes, that's right. Yeah, I mean that's a great thing
about the agribusiness program is the innovation and getting them
to future proof and to think about what can you know,
what they can do to mitigate or solve some problems.
So yeah, those are the type of things that would
have just been gone if we hadn't have been in
the curriculum. And we're very supportive of the vocational pathway.
(05:17):
That pathway is needed. We definitely need skills on vote
on or to on farm and forest, but that doesn't
attract everybody. So we want to make sure that we're
getting as many people, many students as we can into
the industry.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
What's the season like in the White Kato Carrie.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Currently sunny, It's been quite warm, womish and lots of rain.
So yeah, the rain can sort of stop now and
come out, that would be great.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Are you still grummy? The South and top the shield
off you.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Oh no, I moved on from there. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Time moves very quickly at the moment. Carry Ellen, thanks
very much for your time on the master of this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
No problem, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Andy, carry on talking about agrobuss and schools. This is
a good news story of the week in particular in
which there's been a million stories coming out about anything
and everything. Le ust to be honest, just one of
those weeks really, so there will be in a little
bit hectic talking hectic the weather. Phil Dunkan from weather
Watch feels insid and what's happening for the next seven days.
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