Quieten Down Mallard

The Life Education trust, recently slated by Education Minister Trevor Mallard for accepting a $100,000 donation from a tobacco company, has been praised for its positive contribution to the health education of New Zealand primary school children, ACT New Zealand Health Spokesman Heather Roy said today.

"The Eastern and Central Community Trust has commissioned and evaluated a report on the Trust's life skills programme," said Mrs Roy.

"The report's author, Colin McJannett, said senior educationalists, principals and teachers `applauded and endorsed Life Education's valuable' contribution to the lives of New Zealand children and the benefits to the wider community.

"The report states that, from the school's perspective, the Trust fulfils parts of the Health and Physical Education syllabus `more professionally than most schools are able to'.

"ACT has always supported initiatives by private individuals or groups in the public domain. A private trust promoting healthy attitudes and habits to prevent children abusing their bodies, Life Education Trust receives no government funding.

Feedback from the programme has shown that, up to 12 months later, 99 percent of students recalled lessons they learnt from one unit. This endorsement of the programme proves the effectiveness that students, parents and teachers have long suspected.

Instead of griping about how the Life Education Trust is funded, Trevor Mallard should afford it the charity of his silence.

© Scoop Media