23 January 2014

National fails to address inequality in education

National’s announcement of four additional teacher roles won’t address the key reason for our decline in education performance, growing inequality, says the Green Party.

“The OECD PISA report at the end of last year showed embarrassingly large differences between our children's socioeconomic status and worsening educational achievement,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

“Growing inequality in New Zealand is negatively impacting on our kids learning. Sick and hungry kids can’t learn. This policy does nothing for kids and families living in poverty.

“The best teachers and principals in the world can’t feed or heal the hungry and sick kids that show up to school each day.

“This real problem in our kids’ education achievement is not addressed by National’s proposal.

“This poorly thought out policy assumes that a possible improvement in teaching practice will address the driver of declining standards, inequality. It won’t.

“National’s proposal will mean lower decile schools will at best receive helicoptered in help a couple of days a week.  The policy is not a blueprint to address the real needs of kids in lower decile schools to help them learn.

“National hasn’t aimed high with this announcement. Every school and every child deserves the best teachers and principals. Instead National plans to cherry pick teachers and spread them unevenly across multiple schools. That’s not good for any kids learning.

“What happens when these teachers and principals are pulled out of the school to move onto the next, leaving the school dealing with the same social problems?

“National can’t be trusted with our kids’ education, they have run the sector down with bad leadership and bad policy and kids pay the price.

“Let’s not forget National is the party of charter schools, school closures and poor management,” Mrs Turei said.

“The Green Party will be announcing new policy on Sunday that will address the inequality our kids suffer so our great teachers can focus on what they do best – educate our kids.”

ENDS

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