Parliament Needs To End The Charter Schools Experiment And Properly Fund Public Schools

AEC challenges all political parties to vote against the Education and Training Amendment Act legislation that has been introduced to Parliament. The legislation not only allows for charter schools, but also for parent voice to be taken away from schools needing support by forcing them to become charter schools.

AEC Spokesperson Robyn Brown said, “Public schools have a long and successful history in Aotearoa New Zealand, we are concerned that forcing schools to become charter schools takes away the voice of parents in favour of businesses using schools to make a profit.”

“Charter Schools are dangerous as we know that making a profit will always come second to children's learning.”

The Charter School model lacks transparency. Taxpayers are left in the dark about how much of their money has to go towards student learning or the amount of money businesses are able to take out in profit.

Public Schools that become Charter Schools will lose their School Board. A school board is made up of parents within the local community, this model has been a hallmark of education in Aotearoa New Zealand since 1989.

It is not too late for the Government and opposition parties to walk away from this dangerous model of education that has failed to raise the learning outcomes in any countries that have tried to take it on.

“Instead of looking at other countries like the UK and US for education ideas, we should be looking in our own backyard. Maori Medium have some of the best performing schools in the country, we should be turning to them for ways to lift learning outcomes.”

About Aotearoa Educators Collective

Aotearoa Educators Collective is an umbrella collective created to support education thought leaders who share a common interest in promoting progressive ideals in schooling. The group includes academics, principals and teachers and is not aligned to any political party.

These leaders choose to contribute to mainstream public debate through mainstream media based on their research, their lived professional experience and their standing within the sector.

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