Standford said Seymour had not talked to her before issuing the statement about cutting back on teacher-only days. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Education Minister Erica Stanford says David Seymour overstepped the mark when he announced a crack-down on teacher-only days.
In September Seymour, who is the associate education minister, said as part of wider plans to increase attendance rates, teachers should not be able to take teacher-only days willy-nilly.
On TVNZ's Q and A programme on Sunday, Stanford said it wasn't Seymour's place to say that.
"I think he knew at the time that he was over-stepping the mark somewhat because it is my decision, I'm the Minister of Education.
"And when we are rolling out a new curriculum, we have to have curriculum days and I am not in a position - because of the way that the system works with the unions - to say you must do it in holiday."
Stanford told Q+A there would be four teacher-only days during term time.
"There are teacher-only days during term time. In fact, I've given, for this year two that I've said to schools that I am allowing you to have, and then another two that the boards can use to roll that up.
"The settings are such that we have to have them during term time. We're trying to keep them to an absolute minimum. But my message to parents is that during those times, those teachers are looking at the new curriculum," she told the programme.
In a statement last year Seymour said it was critical schools set a good example. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
In a statement last year Seymour said it was critical schools set a good example.
"It's hard to tell students it's important to show up if the school then decides to close itself on days it should be open, that's why we're enforcing the rules ... it's actually always been the rule, we're just enforcing it.
"I have asked the ministry to collect data on when a school is open or closed for instruction for the full day, and for each year group, during term time."
He said it was critical lost teaching time was made up.
Standford said Seymour had not talked to her before issuing the statement about cutting back on teacher-only days.
"I don't think at the time he did [run it past me], but we had a conversation afterwards and it's been sorted."
She said she had since spoken to him about his statement and teacher-only days would continue during term-time.
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