Unions representing teachers are still questioning how charter schools will improve the education system, after David Seymour revealed the government will put $153 million into 50 charter schools over the next four years.
Seymour, the ACT Party leader and Associate Education Minister, said the schools will be held to a high standard because they will be contracted to reach high attendance and achievement standards. Those standards will be in the school’s contracts, which are still being worked through.
“With charters, the consequences for low performance are higher, and the mechanisms that the state has to hold them accountable are higher,” he said in Auckland on Tuesday.
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The unions really are thick. The reason why charter schools will improve educational outcomes for their students is because they are actually held accountable for their results.
What gets measured gets done and charter schools are designed to pursue excellence rather than be dumbed down by union automatons.
He also claimed the unions are against charter schools because its teachers may not be members.
“They should just be honest, they should come out and say the reason we don’t like charter schools is that it is an existential threat to our model because we collect a percentage of our members’ salary,” he said.
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There is a fair amount of truth in Seymour’s statement. The unions are just mad that they won’t be able to control more schools, and that some state schools may opt to become charter schools, diminishing the pool of union-controlled schools.
The trade union discovered, under the official information act, that charter schools cost up to $48,421 per student annually between 2014 and 2018. When adjusted for inflation, that figure jumped to around $60,000.
This was significantly higher than the about $18,485 spent in the public system, according to the OECD.
Chris Abercrombie, president of the PPTA also said the money could be better spent in the public sector.
“Talk to any principal or teacher and they will be able to tell you about initiatives that they are desperate for funding for, to meet the needs of the students in their schools, whether that is supporting attendance initiatives, learning support, food in schools, relationships and participation with the local community,” he said.
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Ahhh…the real nub of the issue: the union-dominated schools are jealous. I suspect though that those figures are not comparing apples with apples. But since when have unions ever bothered with the truth?
If the unions are upset then it’s likely to be a good policy that should be extended.
Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. Cam blogs regularly on the BFD - where this article was sourced.
3 comments:
Agreed cam. As soon as anything the left absolutely dispises is tabled, then it will certainly improve this country. Their (the left nutcases) record is an absolute disgrace. So are their supporters.
I was told by one of these nut jobs that I'm able to breastfeed. This same individual proceeded to advise that the right have blown the crime statistics out of proportion and that all crime is down. He then went on to say that the reason labour lost the election is due to national and act controlling the news. I'm not kidding. How did this person get so mucked up, even with facts he would not concede that crime was massively up and that the news and reporters are overwhelming left leaning.
Seriously what planet are these loonies from and on. ? They can't see reason. They are asleep at the wheel. They can't even see what going on and why the left are in such a mess. The left attract these lunatics easily .....birds of a feather flock together, I suppose.
The Unions are thoroughly immersed in Progressive-Marxist ideology which sees schools as a vehicle primarily for promoting their destructive ideology and producing activists who break down society not build it up .They have never had any concern for students' academic achievement or future well being as independent well skilled citizens with satisfying careers.
I read, this evening (Friday 17 May) a news article regarding the 'sudden departure' of the CEO of The Warehouse Group.
In reality, it means the Warehouse have "major financial issues"- (hence dropping the On-Line The Market shopping experience)- so "be warned we have more to see/read over the next few weeks".
What has it got to with education, well maybe the PM (as Govt ) needs to speak to His 'weak [kneed] Minister of Education' and suggest -
"As NZ Education is not at the standard that is sought by parents, and it is evident She (the $600,000.00 Head of Dept) - is not prepared to institute the changes, that is sought by this Govt. then if that change, by Her and staff and Teachers, is going to be delayed and/or ignored, then I am suggesting that the Head of Department, needs to step down, effective immediately". (just like the Warehouse CEO, forced out by the Board)!
"Minister, if you can not make this occur, then you will lose your Education Portfolio, and be moved to the backbenches".
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