Wed, 2 Feb 2005
Dump the NCEA? Dump The Whole Stinkin' Ministry
Peter Osborne, the Libertarianz Spokesman to Deregulate Education today applauded Act MP, Deborah Coddington's call to
allow school dumping of the NCEA.
He asks, "Why stop there though? Why not allow schools and parents to re-gather control of their children's education
and dump state interference in education altogether?"
Osborne elaborates, "The history exam paper which asked students to write about Maori issues during the 1960s and 70s
from the point of view of a 'National MP not sympathetic to Maori concerns' is a case in point. This is a classic
example of government using education as a tool to influence the thinking processes of New Zealand's young minds."
He says, "I am amazed at the brazenness of such a loaded question. I do marvel at this government's judgement though as
I had thought that, as a society, we weren't ready to swallow this kind of propaganda so lamely just yet - but obviously
we are."
"Miss Coddington, however, misses the point. She would like to dump the NCEA only to replace it with her preferred
model. This is the real problem with politicians from all parties. They each have their own ideas on the issue, but they
are all in agreement the education sector should stay under government control - they each just disagree then on the
precise form that control should take.
Miss Coddington's model may be an improvement," concedes Osborne, "but as governments come and go education will always
devolve to the braindead scenario we are forced to put up with now."
Mr Osborne concludes, "Libertarianz have a written constitution that would not allow future governments to force their
ideology on anyone, let alone students. With freedom comes knowledge, but with coercion and control we will only ever be
fed ignorance and half-truths. There are two ways of dealing with this situation.
Either New Zealanders sit back and allow this farce to continue until it can no longer sustain itself, or people begin
demanding back their freedom and that of their children. A free and unregulated market is the only possible avenue by
which people can truly attain control of their children's education.
Schooling, curriculum and exam setting can all be done by the private sector and the choices will evolve with demand.
Propaganda will give way to knowledge and finally people will be equipped to pursue their own dreams and happiness,
unmolested by control freaks in Wellington."
ENDS