Labour's Education Policy

Sue Moroney - Education Spokesperson:

Labour’s education policy recognises children and young people are New Zealand’s future and that every one of them deserves access to quality education.

That is the touchstone of a fair and prosperous society. Every child, whatever their family’s financial circumstances, has the right to learn in the best possible environment.

Yet, despite our world-class education system and the dedication of teaching staff, some of our kids are still missing out. They are failing to achieve and they are disengaged. These are often the most vulnerable students – Maori, Pasifika and children from low income families.

We know technology is one of the most important tools in developing 21st century schools. Mobile devices are now part of the stationery requirements at some high-decile schools.

E-learning has been shown to improve engagement and academic outcomes at those New Zealand schools where it has already been implemented. Labour will invest $75 million over four years in e-learning for Year 7-13 students, targeting low-decile schools that have the capability to deliver an effective programme.

This will enable an average of 31,000 students a year to be provided with an individual mobile device so they can participate in e-learning.

Not being able to access technology, or afford a net book or laptop shouldn’t be an impediment to learning.

To further enhance our top rate education system we need to be making smart use of ICT and connecting our schools and students to the world.

This initiative will be partly funded by savings of $14.1 million a year as we won’t be continuing with programmes like the private school scholarships for students from low-decile schools. Labour would rather resource the low-decile schools well than send just a few students off to private schools.

This policy has been fully costed and was included in the figures released by Labour last week.

Over time, as funding becomes available, Labour would like to roll out a comprehensive and smart e-learning policy across all Year 7 – 13 students. We will continue with the planned roll out of ultra-fast broadband to schools in conjunction with a review of priorities to stem the digital divide.

Labour will also:

• Protect and retain existing subsidies and fee controls for 20 hours free ECE;


• Provide free high-quality ECE and parent support from 18 months to 3 years for the most vulnerable 5% of our children;


• Restore the funding and target of 100% qualified teachers in early childhood education;


• Support and resource schools to use the NZ curriculum so students have the competencies and knowledge needed to thrive in the 21st century;


• Consolidate the role of school support staff by providing training and working on the viability of centralised funding;


• Establish parent advocates to work alongside parents to engage with teachers, principals and boards of trustees to ensure their needs are being met;


• Support better identification and programme adaptation for gifted children;


• Increase support for the effective implementation of individual plans for students with disabilities;


• Amend guidelines to ensure all schools have an effective anti-bullying programme and provide external multi-agency support for schools in dealing with these issues;


• Boost placements for work-ready students through enhanced Gateway.

We know an education is not just about memorising facts and figures. Our education policy focuses on modernising teaching and learning for all, so our children are prepared for tomorrow’s world.

David Shearer - Tertiary Education

Our tertiary education policy balances the need to keep further education within reach for all New Zealanders with ensuring the sector is funded to the largest extent possible in these tough times.

We cannot afford to keep seeing our best talent disappearing offshore and watching our universities slip further down the world rankings as they have done in the past two years.

Under Labour’s policy, we will:

• Retain the fees maxima system at its current rate of 4 per cent to keep fees under control;

• Maintain university funding at the rate of inflation, at least, and increase funding as finances allow;


• Invest $6 million to reinstate the recently cancelled post-doctoral fellowships for PhD graduates and establish a scheme for better funding ‘brilliant’ scientists;


• Repeal the changes put in place as a result of the Government’s voluntary student membership legislation;


• Restore $13 million cut from Adult and Community Education (ACE) funding;


• Restore $2 million to the Training Incentive Allowance.


Our policy builds on our earlier announcements of 5000 additional places for 16 and 17 year-olds at polytechnics and institutes of technology, 9000 extra apprenticeships and restoring R&D tax credits.


Kelvin Davis - Special Needs and Maori Education 

Maori Education

The focus of Labour's Maori Education policy is on participation of tamariki and their whanau in high quality education.

Labour will support Kohanga Reo to achieve its aims, support best practice in teaching and meeting the needs of Maori students as well as Te Reo Maori, and strengthen the role of the Education Review Office to support cultural learning.

Importantly Labour will establish parent advocates to assist parents and whanau to navigate the educational landscape and empower them to work alongside educators to ensure the success of their child.

Education for All

The focus of Education for All is to provide the resources to enable teachers and support staff to meet the complex needs of all students despite their particular need.

Therefore Labour will increase the support for the implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) so that they are documents with real meaning.

Labour will ensure teachers receive improved training to ensure the active participation of all students with disabilities, and will provide the full range of educational facilities to cater for the diverse needs of special needs students within their community.


Carol Beaumont - Skills and Training 

At a time when there are major skills gaps in our economy, when businesses need support to lift productivity and NZ workers need to increase their skills to improve their employment security and increase their chances of lifting their incomes the National government has failed to support apprenticeships and industry training.

Labour is committed to a comprehensive programme to lift skills of people who are in the workforce and those who are unemployed and trying to get into work including the 24,000 under 20s not in work, school or training.

We have announced that we will ensure that every at risk under 20 year old will be either learning or earning by the end of our first term. We estimate that 24,000 young people will be assisted by our Youth Skills Package.



We will soon be announcing our Jobs and Skills policy which will include further specific initiatives to support upskilling and lifelong learning.

We know this will require a strategic and active approach from Government working with business and unions to ensure people have the right skills needed to match job opportunities – now and in the future.