Tracey Martin MP
Spokesperson for Education

17 March 2014

Parata’s Performance Pitiful

Education Minister Hekia Parata is attempting to cover up a plan for teacher salaries to be based on performance, says New Zealand First.

“She has revealed too much and is now shying away from comments that suggest a big shake-up in education if National wins the election,” says Deputy Leader and Education Spokesperson Tracey Martin.

“She realises she may have cost the National Government this election by revealing the true intention.

“National plans to turn schools into a business, they think their market-driven ideology can apply to the classroom. They are wrong. It will lead to the deterioration of our children’s learning,” says Ms Martin.

“Performance pay will bring competition among staff, and teachers will neither have the time nor the energy to do all the extra jobs as they scramble to concentrate on the aspects that will give them merit and a reasonable wage.

“Morale in schools will drop as the battle to outperform each other takes hold - it will be the students who come off second best as co-operation among staff falls away and individualism takes over.

“The true agenda is about weakening the education unions, reducing wages and making the managers the king.

“This government has attacked every cornerstone of our world leading education system. They are trying to divert the attention of New Zealand families from the real crisis in education, which is their failure.

“They are scaremongering with bills such as the restructure of the Teachers’ Council claiming it will help protect children from undesirables when any parent will see that this is a nonsense and they created Charter Schools with no method of tracking non-registered individuals standing in front of those students.

“New Zealand First urges all Boards of Trustees and Parent and Teacher Associations to join with their teaching staff to oppose such moves by this government,” says Ms Martin.

ENDS

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