Schools Welcome Labour Party’s Plans

‘The Labour party’s plans to address inequality through increasing free early-childhood education for 3 – 5-year olds to 25 hours a week and provide additional support in health and housing is welcomed by New Zealand school principals,’ said Philip Harding, President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation.

‘We all know that the ‘out of school’ factors that influence children’s underachievement add up to sixty percent of the variance,’ he said.

‘Children who arrive at school with little or no pre-school education, come from poor housing conditions and are hungry and unhealthy are in no fit state to learn,’ he said.

‘The child poverty rate in New Zealand with one in four children living in poverty is a national disgrace and as inequality accelerates, we expect child poverty to accelerate further,’ he said.

NZPF applauds Labour’s move to address these inequalities which have now reached crisis point.

‘Teachers can and will make a positive difference to the achievements of all New Zealand children when every child comes to school ready to learn,’ he said.

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