ACT education spokesman Donna Awatere Huata says she is sickened by the Minister of Education's decision to axe the successful TIE scheme.

The scheme, which funds places in private schools for the children of low income parents, has been hailed as a success in closing the education gap between children from low income families, and others.

Mrs Awatere Huata says she had expected better of Education Minister Trevor Mallard as he had read the independent reports which showed that the disadvantaged children concerned had not been selected on the basis of academic achievement, but who consistently performed successfully once at a school where they were exposed to high expectations.

"This decision, along with the present policy on bulk funding, shows the Government hasn't got a clue of how to go about closing the gap between low and high school achievers. If this is how they intend to close the gap, then they should just forget it. Sadly, I predict that the gap will be no less in three years time."

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