18 June 2008

Tolley way out of her depth

The revelation that National’s education spokesperson Anne Tolley has not bothered to read the Schools Plus discussion document is staggering, says Education Minister Chris Carter.

Ms Tolley accused Chris Carter this afternoon of “letting it slip” that Schools Plus would not be implemented for another three years.

The implementation date of 2011 was announced by the Prime Minister Helen Clark in January this year and is also included on page two of the consultation document issued in March.

“As a vocal opponent of the Schools Plus initiative, I would have thought Ms Tolley would have taken the time to read the Schools Plus discussion document,” Chris Carter said.

In her speech on the 30th of January 2008, Prime Minister Helen Clark revealed that, ‘the government is charging the Ministry of Education with responsibility for the plan of action which will implement the new policy overall, with the objective of achieving the new goal for participation in education until the age of eighteen within the next Parliamentary term’.

“Our Schools Plus programme is about lifting the opportunities for the 25 percent of young New Zealanders who are currently not succeeding in education.

“Schools Plus is about real change and that is why the government is consulting so widely, not just with the education sector as a whole but with other organisations including employers, business, trade unions and industry training organisations.

“Schools Plus is not about creating slogans and locking kids up in boot camps; it is about providing a realistic solution to a very real problem,” said Chris Carter.

ENDS

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