Room for Maori innovation in Labour education plan

Labour’s Tamaki Makaurau MP Peeni Henare says there will be room for successful charter schools to transition to a new funding model if Labour leads the next government.

Labour’s Maori candidates have been under pressure this week to justify the party’s policy over the schools, which have been pitched by ACT and National as the answer to low Maori education achievement.

But Mr Henare says the focus on a few schools, some of which embrace Maori ideals, is allowing the Government to ignore the needs of the majority of Maori students who attend mainstream schools.

"The legislation that enables charter schools, we’ve made it clear we are going to repeal that but if those things work, why wouldn’t we continue to support those and it’s a matter of sitting down and working with those ones that do work. We have always had a provision for special character schools and there is no reason they cannot continue under the special character clause," he says.

Mr Henare says charter schools aren’t going to be a major vote mover at the election, as what Maori constituents are concerned about is housing, poverty and social issues.

FULL INTERVIEW PEENI HENARE

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