Press Release

MANA Vice President and MANA Education Spokesperson John Minto

Maori, Pasifika and Working Class Kids Suffer the Most by Increasing Class Sizes
Tuesday 5th June

“Without doubt, the kids who will suffer the most under increased class sizes are Maori, Pasifika and those from the working class” says MANA Vice President John Minto.

“Since this issue of class sizes erupted I’ve been reading a letter copied to me from Professor John O’Neill of Massey University to Education Minister Hekia Parata”.

“Professor O’Neill slams Treasury . He looks at the New Zealand research in detail and then describes why the half-baked Treasury advice is so wrong. He says:

“…that the achievement of weaker students in primary and secondary schools (largely Māori and Pasifika students and/or those from poorer families) may be put at risk if teacher student ratios and class sizes are increased.”

“These are the very groups the government says it wants to help but instead, it’s giving them a kick in the guts. Why did Hekia Parata and the Maori Party ignore this advice?”

“Most Maori kids still get their education in public schools and they will be hammered by this policy”.

“If the government wants to save $43 million from schools it should take it from the subsidies to private schools which keep their class sizes at less than half of what they are in public schools”.

“It’s a no-brainer – the government has to drop this policy like a hot potato before kids suffer”.

ENDS