16 DECEMBER 2015

Will Charter School Farmland Be Lost?

Te Pūmanawa o te Wairua, previously known as the Whangaruru Charter School, should never have been opened at all, says New Zealand First Education Spokesperson Tracey Martin.

“What a waste of taxpayers’ money, Ministry of Education resources and valuable learning time for this group of students.

“This is another educational botch up that sits directly on the shoulders of Education Minister Hekia Parata. The Minister was advised in 2013 not to approve the Whangaruru application in the first place but she overrode sound advice to arrogantly push on with the disastrous policy that is Charter Schools.

“It was only in February this year that the Minister defended the school, allowed it to stay open and instructed Ministry officials to ’support’ the school, adding further costs to the taxpayer.

“New Zealand First was the first to point out through questions in Parliament in 2013 that the farm purchased by the school’s sponsors, with taxpayers’ money, would become their private asset. Who gets the farm now, Minister?

“New Zealand First remains committed to closing all Charter Schools by not renewing their contracts. Each school would be assessed on its special character, academic outcomes and other criteria to be reallocated into the appropriate section of the pre-2013 Education Act options,” says Mrs Martin.

ENDS

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