Minister in denial over impact of poverty on learning

Comments made by the Minister of Education on Q and A today show she is in denial about the real impacts of poverty on children's learning, said the Green Party today.

“Any review of the decile system must focus on creating equity - not measuring achievement of children and then blaming schools under pressure,” said Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty.

"The Minister is reviewing the decile system and quoting a low statistic on poverty impacts from the OECD, which is only about income not the overall indicators of deprivation. She ignores the research that shows income, housing security, books in homes and more are critical if children are to have a fair shot at education.

“It’s obvious from the Select Committee Inquiry into school support for children with dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism initiated by the Green Party, that inequality is a huge issue. Parents are paying for assessments teacher aides and extra help. Children from low income families are missing out because the system is based on who can afford to pay, not the real need.

“In terms of early childhood education, the Minister’s 98 per cent participation target and claims parents have a choice are meaningless given the quality issues that have emerged through the Education Review Office (ERO) report.

“Working parents and beneficiaries must use the childcare available to them despite the Government’s undermining of the 100 per cent qualified staff goals. A largely privatised and underfunded early childhood sector is failing our youngest children with ratios of 1 to 5 children per staff members in far too many centres,” Ms Delahunty said.

Action

Protect Nature

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing Aotearoa. Volu...

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Children Announcements

Story

Time to get serious on delivering for families

The Green Party calls on the Government to get serious about supporting families.

Greens welcome paid parental leave increase, urge Govt to go further

The Green Party is today welcoming the increase in paid parental leave payments, but is urging the Government to continue supporting families when ...

National would make life harder for people

Christopher Luxon and the National Party are not telling the full story when it comes to childcare, the Green Party says.

Greens welcome childcare support, call for more action

The Green Party is welcoming the modest support for families announced by the Labour Government but calling for more urgent action to ease the pres...

Trust betrayed with passing of OT Bill

By passing the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki Bill in the face of overwhelming opposition from nearly every community, the Labour Government has fail...

Green Party welcomes new report critiquing OT Oversight bill

The Green Party once again calls on the Government to withdraw its Oversight of Oranga Tamariki Bill.

Story

Time to get serious on delivering for families

The Green Party calls on the Government to get serious about supporting families.

Greens back striking teachers

The Green Party stands with ECE teachers striking for better funding and conditions.

Every party needs to step up on school lunches

Labour has finally said it would continue free school lunches - and the Green Party is calling on every party to step up.

Free school lunches paid for with a wealth tax

The Green Party will expand free school lunches and pay for it with a fair tax system.

Greens back striking secondary teachers

The Green Party backs secondary teachers resuming strike action.

ECE extension Green win nearly 10 years in the making

The Green Party is today celebrating Budget 2023 funding extending free ECE to two year olds.