Bluster around charter school ‘benefits'
new-zealand-labour-party
Thu May 03 2012 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Bluster around charter school ‘benefits'
Thursday, 3 May 2012, 5:22 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Nanaia
MAHUTA
Education Spokesperson
3 May 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
Bluster around charter school ‘benefits’
The evidence around charter schools is not what National and Act crack it up to be, Labour’s Education spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta says.
“John Banks was asked in the House today whether he had read or even received the Ministry of Education advice on charter schools that had been provided to the previous Minister.
“A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ would have shown that he was aware of the breadth of information the Ministry had collected prior to the 2011 election.
“His response, however, was all bluff and bluster, something Mr Banks has been doing a lot of lately,” Nanaia Mahuta said
“To enlighten him, some of the advice that he may or may not have read, shows that in the US the outcomes for charter schools are mixed and ‘have not consistently led to significant increases in achievement among lower performing student populations’.
“New Zealand’s current education system provides far greater scope for quality public education than does a competitive model that will see more public money paying for private education, the potential for quality to be compromised, and the cherry-picking of students most likely to succeed.
The sooner National and Act recognise that coherent policies which address the socio-economic issues beyond the school gate are the first step to shrinking the ‘tail of underachievement’ in schools, the better.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
“Once that happens the ability to influence what happens within the school gates for learners becomes significantly improved.
“Charter schools continue to be a distraction. Improving educational opportunity is an important priority that we must meet head on. The challenge of our century must ensure that investment in a quality public education system delivers for all kiwi children,” said Nanaia Mahuta.
ends
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from New Zealand Labour Party on InfoPages.