Green Party unveils $90m education plan
Labour has already given a conditional tick of approval to the Green Party’s $90 million a year policy today aimed at low-decile schools, including free after school care, a free lunch, and nurses in every school.
Labour’s education spokesman Chris Hipkins said Labour broadly supported the education measures, which also included setting up ‘hubs’ in schools to ensure children and their parents received the services they needed.
NZ Herald
Green Party launch major policy to tackle impact of growing inequality on education
The Green Party has announced a major policy proposal to tackle the effects of growing inequality on children’s educational achievement by establishing on-site community hubs in low decile schools.
The policy, entitled Schools at the Heart, will cluster health, welfare and other support services in decile 1-4 schools in order to mitigate the impact of poverty and inequality on a child’s learning.
“Schools at the Heart is a significant proposal that will tackle the increasingly negative impact of inequality on our kids education outcomes,” said Green Party Co-leader and education spokesperson Metiria Turei.
“The recent OECD PISA education report set off alarm bells. It showed that National has overseen our kids’ education outcomes fall in the international rankings.
“The PISA report highlighted an embarrassing link between socioeconomic status and worsening educational achievement in New Zealand. Inequality and poverty outside of the classroom is undeniably impacting on our kids’ performance at school.
“National’s failure to address inequality is damaging our kids chance to learn.
“’Education is the best route out of poverty but poverty creates an educational dead end. There is growing evidence that poorer kids aren’t getting the most out of school because the symptoms of low income get in the way of their learning.
“Our policy is about removing some of the barriers that inequality puts in the way of kids achieving all they are capable of.
“Our school hubs proposal will ensure food, health care, social services, early childhood education and out of school sporting and cultural opportunities are available to kids who might otherwise miss out.
“Internationally and locally the school hubs idea is taking off. Our policy will provide a massive kick start to the concept in New Zealand.
“The additional support our policy offers will take the load off principals and teachers so they can be freed up to do what they do best – teach,” said Mrs Turei.
The four new core services that will be provided in every decile 1-4 primary and intermediate school are:
- A dedicated School Hub Coordinator ($28.5 million per annum)
The Hubs Coordinator will work for the school to recruit adult and community educators, early childhood, social and health services and explore other opportunities to develop a unique hub in conjunction with the school and its community. - Free afterschool and holiday care programmes ($10 million per annum)
We’ll provide free after-school care and holiday programmes for every child at decile 1 to 4 schools, and we will expand access to Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) low income subsidies to children at decile 5-10 schools. - A national school lunch fund ($40 million per annum)
The Fund will make lunch available at all decile 1 to 4 primary and intermediate schools, but will be available to other schools based on need. - Dedicated school nurses in decile 1-4 schools ($11.6 million per annum)
School nurses will deliver primary health care to children and their families in the school environment where they are known and trusted.
We will also:
· Build at least 20 new Early Childhood Education centres onsite at low decile primary schools ($25 million)
· Establish a community hub resource centre
· Work with Secondary Schools to devise a hubs plan
“This is a $100 million a year investment in our most disadvantaged kids’ education. The anticipated savings from improved health and education, stable school rolls and better family and community connections will be huge.
“The evidence shows that if kids are fed, are healthy and have the support services they need then they do better at school. Our policy will make sure kids have the basics so they can learn.
“This announcement represents a significant commitment to eradicating inequality in New Zealand and its effects. Inequality will be a specific focus for the Green Party this election year.”
Labour supports schools as community hubs
Schools can and should play a greater role as hubs for the provision of a wider range of social services to families, and the Labour Party is broadly very supportive of the proposals announced by the Green Party, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.
“Many schools already play a vital role in connecting families with a range of social services, including health, counselling, parenting programmes, and so forth. But they’re not well supported in that work and addressing that is a priority for the Labour Party too.
“Our 2011 election manifesto made it clear that Labour will expand the role of schools and early childhood services as community hubs, and we remain committed to that.
“The lives that children live outside the school gate have a big impact on their readiness to learn and their achievement in school. Unlike John Key and the National Party, we’re not willing to turn a blind eye to that.
“Labour has long been committed to expanding access to quality early childhood education. Building new early childhood centres on existing school sites makes a lot of sense.
“Making sure kids don’t have to face the school day with empty tummies is something we are fully committed to, and my colleague David Shearer already has a Members Bill in train that will address that issue.
“While there will naturally be discussion about respective priorities and timing, today’s announcements by the Green Party are a welcome addition to the education policy debate and provide a clear marker of the types of initiatives we can work closely together on,” Chris Hipkins said.
School Hubs Ring Right Bell For Principals
Principals have welcomed the Green Party’s announcement to establish on site community hubs for low decile schools to address the inequalities which affect learning for one in four children in New Zealand.
‘We know that sixty percent of the variance around under achievement relates to influences that reside ‘out of the school’ and are socioeconomic in nature,’ said Philip Harding, President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF).
The Green party has costed out policies which will apply to all decile one to four schools and will establish on-site hubs, provide free after school and holiday care programmes, fund lunches and provide a dedicated nurse to address primary health issues in each school. A hub coordinator will also be appointed to each school to recruit personnel and encourage parental involvement.
‘This is a superb initiative and will make a huge difference for those kids that currently arrive at school unfed and unhealthy,’ said Harding. ‘We know that the vast majority of those children are from low decile schools and we applaud this move to address the children’s health and welfare issues so that we can get on with the job of teaching them,’ he said.
‘We are committed to seeing every child in New Zealand reach their potential because we recognise that school is the most effective route out of poverty,’ he said. ‘Having our children arrive in class fed, clothed and healthy means they will be ready to learn,’ he said.