Source: Radio New Zealand
Teaching Council chair David Ferguson. Supplied – David Ferguson
The Teaching Council’s interim chief executive has resigned from the council’s governing board following RNZ inquiries about the legality of his appointment.
The council appointed Tom Gott to the role last month even though the Education and Training Act says the chief executive “may not be a member of the Teaching Council”.
The Education Ministry and the Teaching Council last week told RNZ the appointment was appropriate and pragmatic, but neither could confirm it was legal.
Tom Gott. Supplied / LinkedIn
The council said it checked its decision with the ministry and was told it was appropriate in the circumstances so long as the appointee, Tom Gott, stepped away from all governance work.
RNZ asked the ministry if the appointment was legal and was told “it was a pragmatic solution for a short-term arrangement”.
Asked to clearly state whether the appointment was legal the ministry said: “Please refer our previous response. The Ministry’s role is limited to advising on appointments to the Teaching Council. The Ministry does not comment on other legal issues.”
This week council chair David Ferguson told RNZ: “For the avoidance of doubt, Mr Gott has now resigned from the Board. In his interim Executive function, he continues to ensure Teaching Council operations remain uninterrupted through this period”.
Gott was appointed to the interim role because regular chief executive Lesley Hoskin is on leave during a Public Service Commission investigation of the council’s procurement and conflict of interest processes.
The issue comes amid widespread opposition among education sector organisations to the government’s decision to next year change the council’s membership so that a majority are ministerial appointees.
Until Gott’s resignation, the council had six ministerial appointees and six elected members.
The Post Primary Teachers Association and the Council of Deans of Education had been concerned that Gott’s appointment did not appear to be legal under the Education and Training Act.
Meanwhile, the Public Service Commission would not comment on its investigation of procurement and conflict of interest at the council other than to say its work would not be completed this year.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
