Charter School Shambles Show Government’s Failing Experiment

Charter School Shambles Show Government’s Failing Experiment

9 September 2014

The shambles surrounding the Northland charter school are another indication of just what a gross waste of taxpayer money the Government’s charter school experiment has been.

NZEI Te Riu Roa National President Judith Nowotarski says the revelations come as no surprise and show what happens when governments are driven by ideology instead of listening to educators.

“Principals and teachers will be appalled that $2.4 million has been thrown away on a totally dysfunctional experimental when all around the country publicly-run schools are being starved of adequate funding.

"Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru School is clearly a shambles despite the huge level of resourcing and a ratio of one teacher per eight students based on its reported role of 56 students.

“Instead of ridiculous and costly experiments, we need education funding invested in areas where it’s going to benefit children such as better resourcing for students with special needs, more teacher aides so students get more individual learning and smaller class sizes.

"There is no valid educational reason why charter schools should exist. They have been set up to privatise our public education system through the backdoor.

"New Zealand children deserve better than this. They deserve to be taught by qualified teachers at well-run schools such as those that operate in the public sector."

ENDS

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