Focus On The Issues Mr English

September 1, 2005

Focus On The Issues Mr English

NZEI Te Riu Roa National President, Colin Tarr, says National's education spokesperson, Bill English, should be focussing on the issues rather than trying to divert attention from his party's flawed education policies.

Mr Tarr is responding to claims made by Mr English that NZEI, and its sister union the PPTA, are running an anti National campaign.

NZEI represents 44,600 teachers, principals, school support staff, special education staff and school advisers who are totally committed to providing a quality education for New Zealand's children.

"They know that the best way to ensure children receive a quality education is to have well resourced and effective schools and early childhood education centres. They want education policies that will provide this," says Colin Tarr.

"Their focus is on the policies not the parties."

NZEI has carefully scrutinised National's education policies and analysed them against research and overseas experience.

"We do not believe that these policies will enhance children's learning," says Colin Tarr.

"Forcing every school in the country into a bulk funding regime, will not improve the quality of education in our schools."

"National will not be able to afford to impose this policy, and fund billions of dollars worth of tax cuts."

"National also wants to introduce vouchers, even though this approach has been tried and rejected overseas, because it does not help children's learning."

"NZEI members will continue to challenge education policies they believe are not in the best interests of children, because every child in New Zealand is entitled to a quality education."

"We believe that a publicly funded education system where the responsibility for student learning outcomes is shared by central Government, education agencies, parents, schools and early childhood education centres, working in partnership, is the way to achieve this," says Colin Tarr.

ENDS

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