Labour's $4 billion education fix just what children need

19 July 2017

Labour's promise of a $4 billion funding jolt for education will start to repair the damage that's been inflicted on public education and will make a huge difference for New Zealand's children and young people, NZEI Te Riu Roa says.

The Labour Party today released its fiscal plan for its first term of Government, committing to a major boost to education that will begin to fix years of underfunding under the National Government.

"The children and young people of New Zealand have been shortchanged for too long. Today's promise of a bold reinvestment in them, and their education, is urgently needed,' NZEI Te Riu Roa president Lynda Stuart said.

"School funding has failed to keep up with need and rising costs and that's showing, with more children with additional learning needs missing out, and parental donations skyrocketing.

"New Zealand's children need a government prepared to back them to achieve all they are capable of. New Zealand can afford to provide every child with the best education in the world. We just need a Government prepared to put them first.
"Today's plan follows an announcement last week that Labour would recommit to and fund 100 percent qualified teachers in early childhood education.

"This election is an opportunity to fix the chronic underfunding of education. Labour has shown it is prepared to start fixing the education system. We challenge all others to follow suit." Mrs Stuart said.

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