Minister Parata loses her COOL

Minister Parata loses her COOL

Education Minister Hekia Parata has started ducking for cover and making policy on the fly whilst trying to justify her new privatised education model, says the PPTA.

“In Parliament yesterday, the minister responded to widespread criticism of her ill-conceived Communities of Online Learning (COOL) plan by making things up.” says PPTA junior vice-president Jack Boyle, “She stated in the House that there will be a restriction on the enrolment of students for whom there is a high risk of disengagement in an online environment.”

“That will be news to the Ministry of Education, who made the exact opposite statement in the regulatory impact statement on the Bill when it said the intention was to enable ‘any student to enrol at a COOL’.”

“New Zealanders care about quality education for our tamariki, and we expect education policy to be well-considered and based on sound evidence. When our Minister of Education starts flapping around, changing the approach to legislation at whim, we all have cause for concern.” Boyle says.

“We do not believe that’s what New Zealand parents want for their children.”

ENDS

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