Reversal great, but what next for education?

new-zealand-labour-party

Thu Jun 07 2012 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Reversal great, but what next for education?

Thursday, 7 June 2012, 3:24 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Nanaia
MAHUTA
Education Spokesperson

7 June 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
Reversal great, but what next for education?

The Government’s sudden reversal on plans to increase class sizes will come as a huge relief to the thousands of New Zealand parents and teachers who were opposed to it from the outset, Labour’s Education spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta says.

“The Minister’s announcement today has only come after huge pressure from parents, teachers and principals.

“It highlights just how angry those parents and education professionals were with the arrogance of a Minister who refused to listen to their concerns.

“Not only was she warned that larger classes would be counterproductive to the learning outcomes for children, our youngest vulnerable and disadvantaged learners, but she also chose to ignore the likely impact it would have on the affected schools.

“Today’s announcement is an embarrassing admission from a Minister who simply did not do her homework.

“She was aware of the antipathy towards her proposal right from the start. It’s a shame she didn’t have the humility to dump the plan before it came to this.

“The Government now needs to explain what further cuts are in the pipeline for education. Given Hekia Parata is committed to making further savings, parents will still be worried,” Nanaia Mahuta.

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