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December 12, 2012
Decile link undeniable link to education need
Waatea Team
Posted On December 12, 2012
Mana leader Hone Harawira is pouring scorn on the education Minister’s desire to get rid of decile ratings for schools.
Hekia Parata says the ratings have become an excuse for failure.
But Mr Harawira says the minister is refusing to acknowledge the link between educational outcomes and the poverty her government’s policies are encouraging.
"Maori children, Pacific children, and increasingly more and more Pakeha children are living in poverty, and those schools have decile one ratings because they are rated on the communities in which they live. Changing the nature of the description doesn't change the level of poverty," he says.
Mr Harawira says if his Feed the Children bill can get through to the select committee stage, there will be the opportunity for a wider debate on the link between socioeconomics and educational achievement.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd
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