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Bill English slams Labour's decision to scrap charter schools

Author
Newstalk Zb Staff,
Publish Date
Fri, 9 Feb 2018, 5:50AM
Nasty and vindictive is how Bill English sees the Labour led Government's decision to scrap charter schools. (Photo/ Getty)
Nasty and vindictive is how Bill English sees the Labour led Government's decision to scrap charter schools. (Photo/ Getty)

Bill English slams Labour's decision to scrap charter schools

Author
Newstalk Zb Staff,
Publish Date
Fri, 9 Feb 2018, 5:50AM

Labour's decision to scrap charter schools has been slammed by National's leader Bill English.

The bill will prevent any future charter schools from opening and intends to close down the ones currently open.

English says there's no good reason for it and he's issued a challenge to those behind the decision.

"The Prime Minister and the Minister of Education should visit these schools, look the kids in the eye, and explain to them why they are changing the law of the land to close down the schools that those kids love going to."

He says it is the students who will suffer under the move.

"It is nasty and vindictive behaviour and the victims of it will be young people, New Zealand children who could have done better in a school that suited their needs."

Education Minister Chris Hipkins hopes all charter schools will close by mutual agreement but will shut them down by force if necessary.

The move has one Auckland charter school digging in its heels.

Vanguard Military School chief executive Nick Hyde says the school's helping turn young lives around, and he'll fight to keep it open.

"When you've got pass rates that are averaging 95 percent, I think people can see it certainly adds value to the education system and is not seen as some kind of failed experiment."

Hyde says around 25 percent of pupils at the school were suspended from other institutions, and many would have nowhere to go if the school closed.

However, the PPTA says the demise of charter schools spells the end of a failed experiment.

PPTA president Jack Boyle says charter schools lack the rules and regulations of public schools.

"That didn't have to have trained teachers, that didn't have to deliver the curriculum, that really had a different sort of set of funding arrangements for taxpayer money to pass into private hands."

READ MORE: http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/larry-williams-drive/audio/alwyn-poole-there-has-been-no-process/

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