Tolley Passes the Buck

Tolley Passes the Buck
Community Learning Association through schools (CLASS)
Friday 7th August 2009

Advocates representing schools met the Education Minister the Hon. Anne Tolley Wednesday to urge her to reconsider her decision to cut funding for school night classes from 2010.

“We had a full and frank discussion but we feel that the Minister didn’t understand the significance of the cuts to communities. There is a groundswell of community outrage and it is becoming increasingly evident that the Minister is out of touch with community feeling”, says Maryke Fordyce, the President of the Community Learning Association through schools.

“The Minister made it clear that the decision was beyond her and that it was now in the hands of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. We had tried for two months to discuss the cuts with her and to be informed in that meeting that it was not her decision seems to be a classic case of passing the buck. For these reasons we are seeking an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister John Key.”

Tolley has stated publically that the decision to cut funding was her decision alone but has also blamed her officials at the Tertiary Education Commission for the decision.

At a recent meeting with Principals, the Prime Minister was asked if his Government had seriously underestimated the impact of Adult and Community Education (ACE) cutbacks on communities and his reply was “You’re probably right!”

“The rug has been pulled out from under schools by government and now it is the schools that have to face their communities to tell them night classes will be gone next year – Minister Tolley’s user pays option is unrealistic for many communities across the nation”, says Fordyce.

“This issue is bigger than schools, it’s the same message that we’ve had since we began this campaign – access and affordability for all. The cuts demonstrate that for all its rhetoric, the government has turned its back on lifelong learning - but we remain resolute”.

Fordyce says there is always hope and that schools will continue to support local communities to fight the cuts. More public protests and a national day of action are planned over the next few weeks.

ENDS

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