[ad_1]
The National Party is committed to spending $ 685 million to increase support for children with special needs in school if it wins the election.
The money would be spent over four years to hire about 1,500 new teacher aides, streamline and expand current funding, and identify problems earlier with an assessment for children at age three.
National has also committed to investing $ 340 million over four years to reduce class sizes in elementary schools, as part of a four-year package of $ 1.2 billion.
He’s also looking to reverse a decision made by Education Minister Chris Hipkins for the central government to take over school zones, saying those decisions should remain with school boards.
READ MORE:
* Election 2020: Zombie Parliament meets a flat ending with a mediocre last day
* Marfell School Community Tells Minister ‘We’re Shovel Ready’ As Green School Funding Row Continues
* Election 2020: National wants travelers to test negative for Covid-19 before flying to New Zealand
ANDY JACKSON / Stuff
Nicola Willis, education spokesperson for the National Party.
National education spokesperson Nicola Willis said that about one in five children needed extra support in school and many were getting lost with the current system.
“We have heard the cry from parents and schools saying that the current learning support system is a complex web of form filling, hoops and uncertainty, with too many undiagnosed children and those with mild to moderate needs often missing. with the additional support they need to be successful, ”said Willis.
“This unmet need is a drag on New Zealand’s educational achievement rate and comes at a high price for families, teachers and other students whose learning can be disrupted.
The party plan for students with the greatest needs includes an earlier evaluation through a medical check-up at three years, which is then recorded in a “Children’s Passport”, an improved version of an existing document.
The party is also willing to “support” all schools to provide some form of mental health training to students and to simplify general support for learning.
The party is eager to restart the “charter schools” program that last started in government and has been phased out by Labor, with 25 new schools established by 2023.
Charter schools are funded by the state, but run privately and allowed to set their own curriculum, teacher pay rates, and other school terms.
The schools were heavily criticized by the labor and teacher unions, particularly after it emerged that some were getting far more funding than equivalent state schools, and one school was spending $ 1.3 million on a coastal farm.
The Labor Party abolished the program after entering government and converted the existing charter schools into “special character” schools.
National has tweaked the model a bit in its new policy, with the 25 new schools funded at the same rate as state schools and not allowed to build private assets.
“National will increase spending on education every year, including increasing operating funds for schools and early childhood education services,” said leader Judith Collins.
“We want all children to continue to achieve great things. With the right education, we can overcome the challenges some children face simply because of the situation they were born into. “
The party previously announced the intention to spend $ 4.8 billion on school infrastructure and $ 768 million on early childhood education, with $ 3000 awarded to parents to spend in a child’s first 1000 days.
Annual operating funding per student increased from $ 590 in National’s 2008-2011, $ 283 in 2011-2014, and $ 273 in National’s 2014-2017. In the first two years of Labor power, it increased by $ 364 to $ 7,099.
UNION: SOME GOOD, SOME BAD
The New Zealand Education Institute (NZEI), the union for non-secondary teachers, said it was satisfied with plans to reduce class sizes, but criticized National’s educational record.
“Plans to reduce class sizes and fund an additional six million hours of teacher aide support over four years are very welcome, but educators have not forgotten National’s attempt in 2012 to increase class sizes and their freezing of funds to support the learning of our students with the highest learning needs, ”said NZEI President Liam Rutherford.
He also criticized the removal of a funding bond for ECE centers that employ 100 percent qualified teachers and the reintroduction of charter schools.
“Most of National’s early childhood policy seems to be about increased monitoring and reporting of the quality of services without any funding to increase quality,” he said.
“It seems that the National Party has not yet listened to the concerns of educators since the last time they were in office.”
ACT leader David Seymour welcomed the position on charter schools.
“It is challenging to come up with policies for two political parties, but it is a burden ACT can bear,” Seymour said.
