The decision of the Government to fund school environment programmes to the tune of nearly 6 million dollars is a worthwhile initiative provided the resources made available to teachers are based on information that is scientifically supportable the Chairman of the Life Sciences Network, Dr William Rolleston, said today.

“It is important that New Zealand school children receive accurate information about the real risks our environment faces to counter the misinformation and propaganda which is often bandied about in this complex and important area.

“The Life Sciences Network and its members welcome the opportunity to work with the resource teachers to be employed in colleges of education to ensure they have the most up to date information available for their resource materials.

“The Network has also noted with concern the decision to spend half a million dollars of taxpayers money to fund, as a Green Party initiative, the employment of interns in community environmental organisations. Many of these organisations have been active in opposing Government policies in areas like biotechnology and genetic modification.

“The Network would like to see full disclosure of the organisations which receive the funding for the interns; what tasks they will be employed on and what monitoring of their performance is proposed,” concluded Dr Rolleston.
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