Hon Bill English
National Party Education Spokesman

9 July 2006

End of Tomorrow’s Schools

Education Minister Steve Maharey’s comments about his review of school funding to the New Zealand School Trustees Association conference signal Labour’s intention to end self-managing schools, says National’s Education spokesman, Bill English.

Mr Maharey told the conference yesterday his high-level review will focus on how schools are spending their money to achieve the Government’s education goals before there is any discussion about how much money schools get.

“Labour clearly have in mind a result where schools need more and more direction about how to spend their money and have less control themselves,” says Mr English.

“Under Labour, more of the education dollar is controlled by Wellington bureaucrats than by schools. Millions of dollars have been wasted on expensive bureaucracy that adds nothing to education.

“National believes this money should be redirected towards schools.

“Though the funding review was supposed to be about whether schools could cover their costs, it looks more like a Trojan horse for more Government control.

“There won't be a big bang end to schools making their own decisions, just slow strangulation as Labour takes more control of education. They just can't help themselves,” says Mr English.

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