Wed, 15 Sep 2004

You want Education? Then Damn Well Seize It.

"PPTA president, Phil Smith seems to lack the ability to understand the underlying cause of many problems facing the education sector," says Libertarianz Spokesman For Education Deregulation Peter Osborne.

In the present scenario Mr Smith begrudges the lack of government funding for schools to maintain their current educational standards. "This is one of many issues that have plagued the education system for over a century and the story remains the same today." Osborne asks, "Why is it that common belief would expect things to improve with further funding when history has consistently shown otherwise?"

Mr Smith is also calling for the Ministry of Education to undertake an independent investigation into the true funding needs of schools. "Hardly independent then is it!" says Osborne, "Does Mr Smith expect a favourable outcome as a result of this investigation?"

Mr Osborne cuts to the chase, "Wake up New Zealand. Nothing will improve until New Zealand parents take responsibility for their own offspring instead of allowing one politician and an army of bureaucrats to decide what is learning and what is not. How can parents expect their children to be taught in a one-size-fits-all State-run education system where competent teachers have no more recognition than do their incompetent colleagues? This is why we have such a large proportion of teenagers leaving school who lack the personal resourcefulness to find their own way in this world. We then wonder why we have such high youth suicide and violent crime rates."

He continues, "This is apathy in its worst form. While the State uses compulsion to achieve its own ends, parents seem only too willing to hand their children over, and teachers seem content to peddle whatever clap-trap the Ministry of Education directs them to."

Mr Osborne concludes, "Since the state won't be releasing its grip any time soon, if they wish things to change then parents and teachers must seize full control of their responsibilities. If parents want choice they will only find it in a competitive free market.

If teachers want real recognition of their skills and if they wish to teach what they know to be fact, then they will have that opportunity only in a competitive free market. Quangos like the PPTA can make their recommendations but in a free society no one would be forced to either adhere to or pay for their wish-list. Other than Libertarianz, there is not a single political party who would willingly allow people to live freely. Only when the removal of the State from education is achieved will people start to understand what a farce we have been forced to follow all these years. What a waste"

Libertarianz: More Freedom - Less Government

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>