Thursday 30 May 2002

New Zealand's high teen pregnancy and drug suspension rates show the compulsory health curriculum doesn't work, ACT Education Spokesman MP Donna Awatere Huata said today.

"These tragic figures highlight the failure of our Government-imposed, compulsory health curriculum.

"Independent research commissioned by one of New Zealand's top-ten schools shows conclusively that the compulsory health curriculum has zero impact on teenagers' decisions regarding drugs, alcohol and sex.

"The answer is a combination of welfare reform and common-sense education policies.

"Individual communities must be allowed to use programmes that work, rather than being force-fed a useless curriculum invented by out-of-touch bureaucrats," Mrs Awatere Huata said.

Ends

© Scoop Media