Govt accused of school `privatisation'

Labour says Christchurch parents are worried the government's school closure proposals are a way of "clearing the decks" for charter schools. 10 October 2012

The government is being accused of using the Christchurch earthquakes as an excuse for privatising the city's schools.

It proposes closing 13 schools and merging 18 others while it is allowing a charter school to open and another private venture - a "character school" run by a relative of Education Minister Hekia Parata - is waiting for approval.

Labour MP Chris Hipkins says Christchurch parents are worried the government is "clearing the decks" so there can be more charter schools.

"Recovery from the earthquakes must not be used as an excuse to privatise Christchurch's education system," he said on Wednesday.

"Charter schools are untested, won't have to employ a full complement of qualified teachers and won't have to teach the same curriculum as public schools."

The government has given the go-ahead for two pilot charter schools, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch.

They will be state-funded and run by businesses or community groups.

Allowing them to operate is part of the government's support agreement with the ACT Party, which says state schools fail one in five students and charter schools will tailor their teaching to deal with those who aren't making it.

The school that Ms Parata's second cousin Rangimarie Parata Takurua proposes opening is a Maori immersion school similar to a charter school, The Press newspaper reports.

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Govt accused of school `privatisation'