Summary

All around the world e-government is revolutionising how governments work and the quality of what they can deliver to people. The Internet has changed the way organisations, communities and individuals operate.

Paul Swain, Minister of Information Technology, in a Keynote address at an e-commerce summit stated:

"At a third of Gross Domestic Product, government activity is a huge part of the economy. It is therefore essential that government walk the talk. Government will lead by example through e-government... In this context the government is committed to using on-line technologies to deliver better quality, cheaper and faster services to its citizens..."

To provide a strategy for government agencies Trevor Mallard, as the Minister of State Services (April, 2000), launched New Zealand's e-government Programme. The project's vision is that:

By 2004, the Internet will be the dominant means of enabling ready access to government information, services and processes." New Zealand e-government Programme - Strategy 26 April 2001, page 1

Under the e-government strategy, the New Zealand Government aims to create a public sector that is:

Structured, resourced and managed to perform in a manner which meets the needs of New Zealanders in the information age and which increasingly delivers information and services using online capabilities.  New Zealand e-government Programme - Strategy 26 April 2001, page 6

In line with the e-government strategy, the Ministry of Education is moving towards using the Internet more, thus becoming more responsive in the way it communicates with the education sector. It is predicted that this will reduce the compliance burden currently placed on schools. It will, also, improve the Ministry's responsiveness to the changing rolls and profiles of schools to deliver funding more accurately and efficiently.

Schools' ability to access and competently use the Internet for data transactions is essential to the e-government strategy. ICT in teaching and learning, and the Monitoring Information and Resourcing (MIR) systems initiative are two initiatives that are part of the Ministry of Education's response to the e-government strategy.