Ministerial Taskforce Too Late For Some Teachers

Wednesday 10 Dec 2003 Deborah Coddington Press Releases -- Education -- Save Our Schools

Today's Ministerial Taskforce report on secondary teacher remuneration will do nothing for many of the teachers caught up in Education Minister Trevor Mallard's systematic programme of school closures," ACT New Zealand Education Spokesman Deborah Coddington said today.

"Mr Mallard has demonstrated, time-and-time again, his inability to manage his portfolio by his heavy-handed and arrogant attitude towards principals, teachers and parents over the closure of up to 300 schools," Miss Coddington said.

"An example of this is Tongariro High School - which finally closed its doors last Friday. This is the first secondary school to do so under the Minister's ill-advised and ill-considered programme of network reviews.

"Fifteen out of 20 experienced and skilled teachers from this college are not going back to teaching - they've had enough. What good will the Ministerial Taskforce's findings do for them?

"It's time to devolve funding and wrestle control away from the Minister and his bureaucrats. Let's give schools and communities the freedom and responsibility to determine their own futures - they deserve that much," Miss Coddington 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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