Political experiment on Rotorua and Taupo students not welcome
Rotorua and Taupo teachers are hugely frustrated to hear that a charter school is set open in their rohe next year.
PPTA regional chair, Alex Le Long says, “As Albert Einstein famously said; the definition of insanity is doing the same
thing over and over again and expecting different results. That’s why we’re so disappointed to hear another two charter
schools have been approved.”
“Opening charter schools is not going to raise the achievement of our children. It’s not going to close any gaps. It’s
not going to level any playing fields. The only thing charter schools do successfully is reward mediocrity by using
scarce education money to prop up private owners.”
“It just doesn’t make sense, and I fear it’s a case of ideology trumping evidence.”
“The evidence shows that innovative education happens best when we work together, and that’s already happening right
across Rotorua, Taupo and beyond. The last thing we need is a corporate model of education being imposed on us by an
out-of-touch under-secretary in Wellington.”
“Our schools, teachers, children and whānau don’t want the platitudes of politicians, and we don’t want charters,” Le
Long says.
ENDS
Note for eds. You can read more about our thoughts on the new charter school here: http://ppta.org.nz/news-and-media/new-rotorua-charter-shows-incoherent-government-policy/