GATS and Education - Public Meeting

GATS and Education - Public Meeting

QPEC and the PPTA in conjunction with the Auckland District Council of NZEI have organised a public meeting to be held tonight on GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) and its grave implications for public education in New Zealand.

In a bald statement of where GATS is heading investment bankers Merrill Lynch have predicted that through commercial pressures and GATS all education world-wide will be privatised over the next 10 years and for private corporations there will be massive financial gains to be made…

Before 31 March the government must respond to requests made to it by other countries to "liberalise" our education system. We must act before more damage is done…

Speakers include –

Peter Monteith - NZEI representative

Phil Smith - National President of PPTA

Lloyd Woods - National President of ASTE (Association of Staff in Tertiary Education)

Ivan Snook - Emeritus Professor of Education from Massey University

Jane Kelsey - Ex President AUS and Professor of Law at Auckland University

Trevor Mallard - Minister of Education (not confirmed yet)

Meteria Turei - Green Party Spokesperson on Education

Media representatives are welcome to attend and report on this meeting.

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