Keeping things fair teaching resources now available
The Ombudsman has published a new learning resource aimed at teaching children and young people in primary and secondary schools and kura about the Ombudsman, their rights and how they can contribute to a fair and just society.
‘Keeping things fair’ and ‘Tuia kia ōrite’ are social science teaching resources aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa for ākonga (students).
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says he’s developed the resources to encourage young people to participate in society by learning more about citizenship.
“The resources includes topics on children’s rights, fair treatment for all, and the right to a fair process, and more.”
Mr Boshier says the resources also introduce the Ombudsman to tamariki and rangatahi so they can know about, understand, and see how the Ombudsman can help them. This is particularly important as the Ombudsman now has an enhanced oversight role for the Oranga Tamariki system.
“The Ombudsman plays a really important constitutional role. People of all ages can come to me if they are unhappy with the way a government department, school board or council is treating them.”
“Keeping Things Fair is my contribution to empowering all young people in New Zealand with the knowledge and skills to be active citizens in the future - standing up for their rights, and for their communities.”
Mr Boshier says Keeping Things Fair is designed for children at the start of their schooling right through to their early years at college. They cover years 1 to 10.
“For young children in schools they start out with a basic understanding of what fairness means. Ākonga will find out how parts of the government system works and there’s learning linked to the role of the Ombudsman.”
Mr Boshier says the resources have been developed by the Ombudsman in association with teachers, rangatahi, education and Te Reo specialists and the Ministry of Education
They’ve been created so teachers don’t need any prior learning. They are supported with videos and readings, guides and slide decks. The class handouts are aimed at different ages. Some of the videos were developed by rangatahi and provide a light-hearted take on the Ombudsman’s work”
Civics and citizenship education are included in the aspirations of The New Zealand Curriculum and is integral to the social sciences learning area. In Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, ākonga gain an understanding of how to participate responsibly in shaping society.
“New Zealand is considered one of the most open and transparent democracies in the world but studies show older people are more likely to get involved and some younger people have a very limited understanding. I want to help close the generational gap,” Mr Boshier says.
Go to the Keeping things fair and Tuia kia ōrite learning resources
Further Information:
- New Zealand last took part in the International Citizenship and Civics Study in 2009. As well as achieving some of the highest scores for civics knowledge, many students also scored some of the lowest. No other country had such a wide distribution of results.
- The Ombudsman’s research in working with children in care noted that integrating a rights discussion into the school curriculum (including information on the role of the Ombudsman) would help normalise the concept of rights among all children.
- In the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, the leading global indicator of public sector corruption, New Zealand ranked 3 place out of 180 countries. https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/new-zealand