Tue, 27 Aug 2002
Phase Out, Phase 2 - And NCEA
"You may be doing your damnedest to churn out numbskulls Mr Mallard, but we weren't all born yesterday," said Peter
Osborne, Libertarianz Associate Spokesman to Deregulate Education, following Mr Mallard's announcement that next years
introduction of phase 2 of the NCEA will be 'optional.'
"Mr Mallard's claim that his decision to make phase 2 optional was made quite a few weeks ago, is pathetic. The decision
was obviously made over the weekend. But that aside- this is more of an indication that yet another of Mr Mallard's
schemes is unpopular with both teachers and parents. Like most of his other schemes it will do nothing to improve New
Zealand's worsening educational standards."
Mr Osborne continues, "Secondary school teachers have just been through fifteen months of industrial action. Primary
teachers look set to make a stand in regards to pay parity. Workloads have increased while educational standards and
morale have taken a dive. The cost to the taxpayer is staggering." Osborne asks, "What more evidence do the public need
to realise that governments don't care either way about educating children? What they do care about is accumulating
power and ensuring that they hold it for future generations, thus the need to hold total control over education."
Mr Osborne says, "Power-playing by the present Government and those past must end. Pupils are being treated as pawns. If
things are allowed to carry on, pawns are all they're going to be good for. Teachers must show some self-respect and
refuse to work for state education. Private schools must ignore government demands to adhere to the state-enforced
curriculum. The state must be ejected from education altogether."
Mr Osborne concludes, "If New Zealand is to attain true excellence in education, qualifications must be formulated in a
competing, private sector. If parents want the freedom to choose the education for their children, this too can only be
achieved in a competing, private education sector, away from political power freaks. If teachers wish to be paid their
true value, then they need look no further than a private education sector. Libertarianz will separate the state from
education altogether to allow education to excel. In a very short time a comparison will make today's education look as
it truly is ... pathetic."
It's enough to make you vote Libertarianz!
ENDS
For more information contact: Peter Osborne LIBERTARIANZ ASSOC. SPOKESMAN TO DEREGULATE EDUCATION Phone: 025 326 005,
e-mail: ospar@xtra.co.nz
www.libertarianz.org.nz
www.libz.org