12 June 2007

Government Committing Educational Infanticide

The Labour government is killing its progeny with its dictates on what foods schools can offer its students, says New Zealand First education spokesperson Brian Donnelly.

"It was the last Labour government which radically reformed education and devolved decision-making to local school boards. This sort of centralised decision-making is killing that baby,” said Mr Donnelly.

“This government is undoing that revolutionary process and this latest move is the unkindest cut. Essentially it proclaims that schools are not able to make appropriate decisions relating to healthy eating by its students.

“What is sold in the tuck shops is part of the school curriculum and schools should seriously consider how this fits into their health programme. However, just as the government does not specify which reading programme a school must use, neither should it specify how schools should manage their health curriculum.

“What the government has got wrong is not the product but the process,” said Mr Donnelly.

ENDS

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