www.qpec.org.nz
10 September 2012
Media Release:
A good start for Labour on education policy
QPEC is pleased to see the Labour Party begin to announce some significant improvements in its education policy compared
to National’s dangerous drive to undermine public education.
The policies announced yesterday by Labour leader David Shearer are a good start. We would be delighted to see the end
of National Standards and league tables; a commitment to feed children at low-decile schools and increased resources to
help children falling behind.
It was also refreshing to hear a party leader say “a great public school system is important”. This contrasts sharply
with National's attempts to belittle public school and teachers at every opportunity and blows away the foetid
atmosphere created by National’s policies for charter schools, league tables and so-called performance pay for teachers.
QPEC will be keen to see further details of this policy and we hope future announcements will include policies to
dramatically reduce pupil/teacher ratios in schools in low-income communities as the most effective way to improve
student achievement for groups of children, predominantly Maori and Pacifika, who are falling behind.