February 24, 2015
Social insecurity undermining education
Manurewa MP Louisa Wall says charter schools are an attack on mainstream schools and teachers rather than a credible response to problems within education.
Education Minister Hekia Parata has given a Northland kura hourua a month to fix problems with attendance, teaching and management or it faces being closed down.
Ms Wall says Labour has opposed charter schools because they believe there would be more value and better outcomes for the community by supporting existing schools and teachers better.
She says her interactions with schools in her own electorate have convinced her the problems are mostly outside rather than inside the classroom.
"You can't blame the school system if 60 percent of the children won't be there next year because they don't have a home to live in. Some of our kids don't have food which is why Manurewa High specifically is a Kids Can school so they do provide food. So there are a whole lot of social determinants in the education area that determine whether or not kids are successful," Mr Wall says.
Labour has committed to providing more resources for schools.
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