Hypertargeting misses the point of public education

Hypertargeting of students, through “a risk index”, in a new education funding review has missed the point that the whole public education system needs more funding, the Green Party said today.

The education funding review decisions announced today by Minister of Education Hekia Parata will see 19 indicators used to make a risk index for each student, and the controversial bulk funding proposal has been dropped.

“Schools desperately need extra money, but this hyper targeting is going to miss many students who need extra help,” Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

“The decision not to increase the operations grant is meaning many schools will miss out from hypertargeting.

“This Government has starved public education, and instead put more money into charter schools and now into private schools.

“Bulk funding has now been rejected again, following a great campaign by unions and parents who could see the effect that it would have had on children’s education.

“The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has raised questions about extreme targeting of only the most vulnerable children. This hypertargeting runs the risk of undermining provision for all children and breaching their rights to be healthy, educated, safe and participating.

“There is no guarantee that hypertargeting will work better because of the social conditions which it refuses to acknowledge.

“Kids are suffering from the National Government’s policies, we need to improve the education system for everyone.

“Rather than ensuring decent wages, and warm, safe, and secure houses, the Government is stigmatising individual parents and families.

“Māori and Pasifika kids miss out because of poverty and a lack of cultural responsiveness in schools, yet this new model does not acknowledge this at all,” Ms Delahunty said.

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