No Hope for Education in Budget

The Government has offered little inspiration for education in the budget, says New Zealand First.

Education spokesperson Tracey Martin says while Finance Minister Bill English's budget speech attempts to spin education spending as a plus there is a noticeable lack of funding to attack the Global Education Reform Movement (GERM).

“The education spending merely continues to entrench the top-down, low trust model of education which is smothering our world leading education system and tying up our teachers in paperwork.

“The Government has continued to focus on tertiary education solely for specific employment outcomes rather than education as a public good.

“New Zealand First is concerned that this Government is focused on turning out employees by rote instead of the holistic entrepreneurs this nation needs for the future.

“It is kidding itself into thinking that a long-awaited increase in operational grant funding for primary and secondary schools, the only truly new announcement, will distract school leaders and teachers from the very real challenges they continue to face.

“While I applaud the increase in funding in ECE it must focus on strengthening our public providers and not just pump taxpayers’ dollars into privately run childcare centres.

“However this Budget has massive gaps in adult and community education, student support and special education.

"Once again this Government has shown that it just doesn't understand education,” says Ms Martin.

ENDS

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