Parents Do Know Best

Tuesday, 24 February 2004, 4:48 pm
Press Release: Early Childhood Council

Press Release: Education
Early Childhood Council

Mark Harrison's book Education Matters: Government, Markets and New Zealand Schools, launched in Wellington today, adds more weight behind those who argue that parents are best placed to make decisions about the education of their children, Early Childhood Council CEO Sue Thorne said today.

"Parents are waiting for these ideas to be implemented, utterly frustrated by the politically motivated restrictions placed on the high performance of students, schools and teachers," Mrs Thorne said.

"This is a book of hope, and although heavy in tone and comprehensive in detail, it reaches deep into the issues, finds the core problems and spells out some very easy and practical solutions to shake up a creaky education system. Education Matters offers solutions that give hope for the future of New Zealand children and the successful retention and engagement of our best teachers and education leaders and managers.

"Can the brave and thinking leaders, politicians and parents please now step forward to ensure these ideas are adopted? We must wrest control of our country's most precious resource from ancient systems and powerblocks, and the archaic and failed dogma that holds our children back," Mrs Thorne said.

The Early Childhood Council is a member organisation of the Education Forum.

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