Debate On Charter Schools

MP debated controversial education reforms in the House today.

At 4.13 the Government suspended the Budget debate and began the committee stage of the Education Amendment Bill.

There are still 6 hours and 23 minutes in the debate.

the Education Amendment Bill reforms a number of aspects of the education system, but most notably introduced the concept of partnership schools, formerly and more widely known as charter schools.

Labour and other opposition parties strongly oppose the new school structure.

Chris Hipkins said former education minister Anne Tolley had been the architect of charter schools before the 2011 election, but National had not campaigned on this and instead labeled it an ACT policy.

Hipkins said the charter school experiment was a real concern which would threaten standards because of the lack of teacher quality control.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye said the bill was about choice and giving an opportunity for children who were currently failing in the education system

Debate on the bill continues.
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