October 20, 2016
Parata privatisation agenda holding back kura
Mana leader Hone Harawira says Hekia Parata hasn't done enough for Maori education during her time as minister.
Ms Parata yesterday announced she was stepping down at the next election, though she hoped to keep charge of the education portfolio until then.
Mr Harawira says there has been no extra funding for kura and kohanga reo during her watch, and instead she has focused on ideological initiatives like charter schools and computer-based learning.
"I don't think this approach about trying to privatise everything and turning education into a component you can buy from one shop or another shop, one school or another school, works. In fact I think it's disastrous. I think we need to go back to identifying successful models, kohanga, kura kaupapa, and putting the money in there, not just making them work but growing them, making them flourish," he says.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com