Anne Tolley National Early Childhood Education Spokesperson

7 June 2001

Equity money no guarantee of results

The Early Childhood Sector is being manipulated by the Education Minister to score political points, National's Early Childhood Education spokesperson Anne Tolley said today.

"Trevor Mallard's equity funding announced today will not improve the lot for children from poorer families or those with special education needs.

"Recent evidence shows that throwing extra money at the lower socio-economic schools does not bring about 'miraculous' changes to their education standards. In fact the extra funds in the primary schools is having little effect on those kids.

"This Government has no new ideas about how to deal with the hard issues of generating an interest and love of learning in poor children and their families. It continues to throw money at the problems in the hope they will sort themselves.

"It should be putting more money into programmes that work like Family Start and Books and Schools, and towards providing more social workers in schools. Our children deserve more than a wish and a few dollars more into selected areas, " Mrs Tolley said.

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