Education Minister Trevor Mallard’s incompetence is preventing schools from planning for their students future, said ACT Education Spokesman Donna Awatere Huata.

The Government recently introduced the Education Amendment Bill to Parliament which aims to abolish the Bulk Funding option from New Zealand schools. Currently a third of all schools, who teach nearly half of all school aged children, are currently Bulk Funded.

“Yesterday Trevor Mallard told the Education Select Committee that he is unclear about what funding formula will replace bulk funding. “This is nothing less then a dereliction of Ministerial duties.

“Boards of Trustees rely on timely and accurate information to conduct school affairs. They are obligated to maximise the educational benefits that children receive from their school. How the Minister believes this can be done without any information on funding levels is intriguing to say the least.

“At the very least Mr Mallard should have given Ministry of Education officials a directive to explore other funding alternatives.

“In his haste to appease the teachers unions and remove Bulk Funding it would seem Mr Mallard has forgotten to do his job,” said Donna Awatere Huata.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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