Zoning, no bulkfunding and reduced funds for private schools
Liz Gordon MP Thu Aug 26 1999
The Alliance will release three main parts of its schools policy tonight in Auckland. One part strikes at the heart of
the market model of education, the issue of zoning. The other two parts deal with the controversial issues of private
school funding and bulkfunding.
'All children have the right to receive a high quality education in their own neighbourhood, and it is the government's
job to ensure that is possible,' Alliance Education spokesperson Dr. Liz Gordon said.
'Students will generally be expected to attend their local school, unless good reason can be shown why another school
should be chosen. For example, a child may need access to special education facilities not available nearby.
'However, the Alliance is aware that some schools have been badly affected by the failed market experiment of the past
decade, whereas others have blossomed with new facilities and services. We promise not to lock children into such
schools. We promise resources to upgrade them.
'We can learn from the private school sector. Funding will be provided for the development of innovative programmes of
special needs or academic specialisation in private schools, provided that such services are also offered to students in
the public sector.
'But as a general rule, if parents want to send their children to private schools they should not expect public money to
follow them.
'The Alliance supports the existence of private schools but notes that, where good public alternatives exist, there is
no justification for state funding of the private sector.
'The TIE scheme will be scrapped, although students currently in the scheme will be able to continue in it until their
contract expires.
ENDS