17/05/2023
Edmund O’Connell
[FYI request #22524 email]
Tēnā koe Edmund
OIA: 1309101 – Privacy in the classroom
Thank you for your email of 21 April 2023 to the Ministry of Education requesting the following
information:
My family is moving to Christchurch and my son is planning on attending St Anne’s school.
However, a family friend has now told me that cameras are being put in their classrooms.
Under the OIA I request documentation showing:
1. Have the school contacted the Ministry to seek guidance and what was it?
2. What guidance have you provided, and/ or would you provide?
3. Is there a Ministry Policy on this? If so, can i have a copy of it?
4. What process would the school have to go through to do this, like a Privacy Impact
Statement? https://www.privacy.org.nz/publications/guidance-resources/privacy-
impact-assessment/
5. What is your expectation of schools in this area?
UNCRC Article 12 says
1. States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views
the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the
child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
2. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in
any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a
representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of
national law.
6. What advice and consultations were therefore done with the children? i want a copy
of this and I want this to also include what was said and provided to parents and
staff,
7. What are the specifications of the cameras being used?
8. Do the police need to be consulted? Would you expect the school to consult with
them?
9. Are there security requirements to ensure the safety of the system? Both physical
and cyber? Are there limits to how long the information can be held? I want copies
of the forms that spell this out.
10. Would the classroom teacher or parents be informed before footage was reviewed?
Christchurch Office, Te Urutī, 48 Hereford Street, West End, Christchurch, 8013
PO Box 2522, Addington, Christchurch 8140 Phone: +64 3 378 7300
11. Is there a form that must be fil ed out to access this system? Can I have a copy of
that request form?
12. Who has access to this system and how can they access it? Can i have a copy of
this process?
13. Would the Ministry expect the school to consult with the privacy commission?
14. What guidance has the Ministry received from the privacy commission on child
privacy in the classroom?
I understand there are a number of questions, and some of them should go to the school,
but please confirm with me which are which.
Your request has been considered under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act).
We cannot answer questions 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 as this information is not held by the Ministry of
Education. It may be held by the school. As such, we have transferred these parts of your request
to the school.
Regarding question 1, we can confirm that we have not been contacted by the school to seek
guidance on the matter.
Regarding questions 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 14, we can confirm that the Ministry support all ākonga to feel
safe and secure at school, and able to make the most of their education. Under the Education and
Training Act 2020, all schools are required to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of their
students. The Ministry expects schools to take responsibility to ensure these matters are met in the
appropriate way their Boards see fit.
Schools are self-governing through their elected Boards, who are responsible for setting their day-
to-day policies and procedures. If someone in the school community has concerns, they may
contact their Board.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision
on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Susan Schneideman
Acting Director of Education for Canterbury
Te Mahau | Te Tai Runga (South)
