Boards

Boards – whether they be boards of trustees of state schools, boards of independent schools, or boards governing early childhood education provision – are the entities charged with ensuring the realisation of the human right to education for the children in their school or centre.

To be in accordance with community aspirations, New Zealand education policy – and international human rights treaty obligations promoted and formally accepted by New Zealand – the education they provide must be aimed at ‘development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential’, and ‘preparation for responsible life in a free society’.

It must be an education that:

• respects children’s human rights (including rights to dignity, identity, safety, expression & participation, justice)
• helps realise their human rights (including rights to health, work, an adequate standard of living, a sustainable environment)
• promotes the human rights of others.

A useful framework for school boards

The human rights framework can be an indispensable part of your board’s toolkit for effective school governance, helping to make sense of the role of the board, tying together the key things for which the board has responsibility.

Conceptualising the mission of the school as delivering on the right of every child to an education that respects and helps realise their human rights and those of others,

• helps focus efforts on what really counts
• links to critical values
• helps tie together the key areas of curriculum, discipline and school culture.