April 19, 2013
Charter plan a step back for Maori
Labour leader, David Shearer, says a Māori Party U-turn on charter schools is a giant step backwards.
Māori Party co-leader, Pita Sharples, says he will give Act and National the votes they need to set up publicly-funded private schools because it will open the door for Māori to staff schools with native speakers, even if they don’t hold teaching qualifications.
Mr Shearer says teaching is more than having a skill. It’s about being able to impart that knowledge to students.
“Teachers need to be trained because it’s a profession and that’s the way we do things. We don’t say that if somebody is good at science they’re a good science teacher. Teaching is a profession and we need to recognise it as that. Having untrained people in our schools is a step backwards,” says David Shearer.
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