June 11, 2013
Banks counting on Māori support
ACT leader John Banks is claiming significant support from leading Māori educationalists for his charter schools initiative.
Many leading Māori academics and educational researchers signed an open letter before the passing of the Education Amendment Bill saying the new publicly-funded private schools are a distraction from investing in what is known to work for young Māori learners.
But Mr Banks is heartened by the support coming from the Iwi Education Authority, which represents some Māori immersion schools.
"They are sensible intelligent people locked and loaded on the ground where it matters. They are saying it's well overdue.
That's why they are supporting it. The distinguished Māori Party leaders in the parliament supported it because they know this is an opportunity for Māori, this is an opportunity for kids we have left behind and this is an opportunity for the families that live in the deep vein of social deprivation that runs across this country, and they are enthusiastic," he says.
Mr Banks says some of the 34 groups who have expressed interest in running charter schools are Māori.
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