Act's education policies would create ghetto schools and are in fact the policies that National wants to implement but is scared to promote, Labour education spokesperson Trevor Mallard said today.

"The voucher education system will not work in the best interest of all New Zealand school children and that is not good for the country," Trevor Mallard said.

"Already, under nine years of Tory rule, the gap between rich schools and poor schools is widening. If Act gets its way, that would accelerate to out of control.

"As a result of Act's tax policies, overall school funding will be cut as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

"Schools would require top ups to provide a high standard of education. Parents with money could oblige and those without could not. The schools in poorer communities would be left struggling to provide to basics and would be forced to cut costs by employing the cheapest rather than the best teachers and exacerbate the gaps.

"Access to quality education for all children regardless of their background has been a fundamental aspect of New Zealand's education history. Under Labour, that will remain. We are proposing a fairer school funding system where quality for all is paramount.

"The New Zealand public has clearly signalled to us that they are sick of the decline in core public services. Clearly Act is not listening to those calls," Trevor Mallard said.

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