Vicki Buck Gets MP's Support To Open School
Wednesday 7th Jul 1999 Donna Awatere Huata
Media Release
Former Christchurch Mayor Vicki Buck's plans to open the country's first designated " character" school have today
received a boost from ACT Education Spokesman Donna Awatere Huata.
Mrs Huata said the Government should give such initiatives to inject excellence and innovation into the education system
every encouragement and support.
"Central to ACT's Education policy is funding following the child to allow Charter schools to be set up to best meet the
educational needs of every child.
"I find the Minister of Education's excuse for stalling the proposal that Government is unprepared to handle such
proposals totally unacceptable. The section of the Education Act that allows the Ministry of Education to give approval
for schools of special character is certainly not new.
"The Ministry should not have waited until the first proposal for such a school was in before moving to draw up
guidelines for performance.
"The Ministry should be actively encouraging such projects. The evidence is overwhelming that the one-size-fits all
education of State Schools is failing thousands of children up and down the country.
"I applaud Vicki Buck for kick starting the Minister and his Ministry. I am writing to the Minister of Education asking
that he and his Ministry speed up their work to allow the Buck proposal and others to get off the ground as soon as
possible," said Donna Awatere Huata.
ENDS