5th Periodic Report under the International Covenant for Economic Social and Cultural Rights Feedback
Article 13: Right to education
Read the text in the report here.
The Covenant recognises that everyone has the right to go to school and everyone should go to school.
Under the Covenant, countries must make sure that primary education is free and compulsory, make secondary school available to all and progressively free, and make higher education available to all on the basis of capacity. .
The report outlines developments in these areas that include education for Māori and Pacific learners, Māori teacher supply, inclusive education for children with disabilities, and charter schools (kura hourua).
Committee recommendations
The paragraph numbers below relate to the Committee's concluding observations that you can access here.
49. The Committee recommends that the State party pursue its plan to reform the education system. In doing so, it should develop culturally appropriate education programmes in partnership with Māori and Pasifika and identify associated education targets, with the aims of improving the educational outcomes among Māori and Pasifika students and tackling stigma and disciplinary measures in schools. It also recommends that the State party invest in increasing the availability of qualified Māori teachers and take other measures to strengthen access to education in the Māori language and its retention. The Committee also recommends that the State party:
(a) Take effective measures to facilitate access by children with disabilities to inclusive education, including by strengthening the allocation of resources for the provision of reasonable accommodation and any additional support needed;
(b) Implement a zero-tolerance policy against bullying and harassment in schools and ensure the effective protection of victims of bullying and harassment;
(c) Take effective steps to address indirect schooling costs, including by implementing the scheme to increase funding for public schools, so as to ensure equal access to education by all children and students.
50. The Committee draws the State party’s attention to its general comment No. 13 (1999) on the right to education.