The Government must guarantee community groups will not be the losers out of its signing of a $298 million deal for four more public private partnership (PPP) schools, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“Community groups will find it more difficult to gain access to facilities at these schools after-hours and the Ministry of Education has previously admitted in some cases they will face additional costs for using them.

The chaos created by National’s scrapping of compulsory student association membership may force the 86-year old Union of Students Association to fold, Labour’s Tertiary Education spokesperson David Cunliffe says.

“National’s 2011 Voluntary Student Membership Act has left student associations with no minimum funding.

The National Government’s flagship programme Investing in Educational Success is clearly reinforcing inequality in the school system, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“The analysis released today by the NZEI clearly shows schools in wealthier suburbs are the main beneficiaries of National’s ‘expert teacher’ plans.

Sadly it looks like National won’t support successful and proven school programmes shown to reduce obesity and ensure all our kids are well-nourished at school, Labour MP David Shearer says.

“I had hoped that my private members’ bill would be supported through first reading to a select committee process where a wide, non-political discussion could be held on how to support schools rolling out food in schools programmes.

Appalling contractual arrangements by the Government mean the trust running troubled charter school Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru will keep an 81-hectare farm if it is closed for poor performance, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“Millions of dollars that should have gone into educating and supporting our most at risk kids is being flushed down the drain because of the Government’s failed charter school experiment.

When Hekia Parata became aware that the Whangaruru charter school was experiencing major problems her first action was to drop standards by reducing the number of qualified teachers they had to employ, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins has revealed.

“Hekia Parata received advice last September that Whangaruru was in trouble and the Education Review Office had extended the timeframe for completing its readiness report. At the same time, she agreed to vary their contract by allowing them to employ fewer teachers and even more untrained staff.

The long-awaited release of an Education Review Office report into Northland’s troubled Whangaruru charter school proves it should never have been approved in the first place, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“This report identifies problems with absenteeism and disengaged students and found the school’s board received numerous official complaints from parents concerned about health and safety issues.

Blame for the crisis situation at Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru which led to a final notice being issued today against the Northland charter school falls firmly at the feet of the Education Minister, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“Hekia Parata not only went against the advice of her own officials when she allowed Whangaruru to open, she has spent months trying to cover up the full extent of its problems by refusing to make public critical reports by the Education Review Office.

Education Minister Hekia Parata ignored official advice and approved the opening of a charter school that has been plagued with problems including bullying, drug use, absenteeism and management infighting, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“The Ministry of Education advised Hekia Parata against approving Whangaruru School, raising concerns the school would not provide a ‘safe environment’ and questioning its processes. She chose to ignore those warnings and the responsibility for the subsequent problems rests squarely on her shoulders.

The Government has once again made ad hoc and short term cuts in the Tertiary Education sector, says Labour’s tertiary education spokesperson David Cunliffe. 

“Cuts of 107 places for theology students and 124 fewer hairdressers in the private education sector are evidence of this government’s doctrinaire policy and ad hocery.