NZEI: Labour’s $4 billion education fix is just what’s needed

Labour’s promise of a $4 billion funding jolt for education will start to repair the damage that’s been inflicted on public education and will make a huge difference for New Zealand’s children and young people, according to teachers’ union NZEI Te Riu Roa.

The Labour Party has released its fiscal plan for its first term of government, committing to a major boost to education which the NZEI says will “begin to fix years of under-funding by the National government”.

“The children and young people of New Zealand have been short-changed for too long,” says union president Lynda Stuart. “School funding has failed to keep up with need and rising costs and that’s showing, with more children with additional learning needs missing out, and parental donations skyrocketing.

“New Zealand’s children need a government prepared to back them to achieve all they are capable of. New Zealand can afford to provide every child with the best education in the world.

“Labour has shown it is prepared to start fixing the education system. We challenge all others to follow suit.”