NZEI welcomes opposition education policy direction

1 October 2013, Immediate Release

NZEI welcomes opposition education policy direction

Charter schools and National Standards will be gone next year if Labour and its likely support parties win the next election.

Education spokespeople from Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First received a strong round of applause when they spoke at this year’s NZEI Te Riu Roa Annual Conference in Rotorua and outlined their parties’ plans for education post-2014.

Labour’s Chris Hipkins, the Greens’ Metiria Turei and New Zealand First’s Barbara Stewart all agreed that it is vital to restore and enhance the key role that early childhood education has on the sector.

And they all pledged to restore the goal of having all early childhood education centres properly funded in order to be fully staffed by qualified teachers –  a policy introduced in 2001 but removed by the current government shortly after taking office.

Labour’s Chris Hipkins also promised to restore a central funding system for school support staff.  Currently support staff are funded by their school’s operational grant and this puts immense pressure on school budget.

NZEI National President Judith Nowotarski says the policies outlined by the opposition parties are a welcome alternative to the current government’s damaging education agenda.

She says they will help restore quality public education for all children.

“Schools should not have to make a choice between new computers or paying support staff properly.

“National Standards and Charter Schools follow failed overseas models and do nothing to enhance quality public education.  What they do is narrow the curriculum and increase inequity in our public education sector.

“We need a government that will commit to supporting quality public education for all children and that’s why we strongly welcome and support the education policies of these three parties.”

ENDS

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