Mana teachers are saying no to Sardine Schools

A protest this morning (May 31) in Paremata is a sign that National’s plans for education are not going to help the children in Mana’s schools, Labour MP for Mana Kris Faafoi said today.

“I was invited to participate by teachers who wanted to give the Education Minister their views on the Government’s recent Education announcements,” Kris Faafoi said.

“Their position was clear: an unequivocal no to the increase in class sizes, no to the cuts in technology courses and no to the so called ‘good news’ on cutting teacher numbers.”

A group of 120 protestors greeted the Minister at a function in Paremata this morning, upset that schools will have to cut teachers and raise school class sizes, as well as kindergartens who are likely to increase their fees for parents due to the cuts in their funding.

“I am concerned about the approximately 12,500 students who attend schools and 3,500 children in Early Childhood Education across the Mana electorate.

“Larger class sizes can only be a bad start for our youngest learners, a net loss of teachers in low decile schools, less innovation in classroom learning and greater pressure on parents to fundraise in these hard economic times.

“Parents, teachers and event students were clear today. Maybe it’s time for the Government to start listening to them”.