Wednesday 20th Sep 2000
Gerry Eckhoff
Media Release -- Other

ACT MP Gerry Eckhoff says a Private Members Bill he is promoting on education will benefit needy families.

The Target Entitlement Education Bill (TIE), was due to be introduced in the House this week and Mr Eckhoff said it restored parents’ right of choice and was crucial to lifting “disadvantaged children above the norm.”

Under the TIE scheme, families with a taxable income of less than $25,000 dollars and not asset rich enough, could apply for the money that would normally go to a designated school, so they could send their children to a school or specialist learning institution of their choice.

Mr Eckhoff dismissed suggestions by some Government MPs that the TIE system could be considered “elitist.”

“That suggestion is rubbish. Under TIE the money will follow the child instead of the child being forced to follow the system.

“TIE is about chances for those children who would not otherwise reach their potential in a teacher-focused, ‘one size fits all’ education system promoted by the Labour-Alliance Coalition Government,” Mr Eckhoff said.

“At the same time TIE is one way to give gifted children the extra opportunities they need to reach their potential.

“TIE has been a huge success and has helped lift educational standards where it is operating in the United States and Europe,” Mr Eckhoff said.

“This Bill shows up the failures of the current system and would erode teacher union domination of the system which Education Minister Trevor Mallard is so in favour of,” he said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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