No limit on unregistered teachers in charter schools

The majority of teachers at charter schools could be unregistered because the Government has set no minimum level, the Green Party revealed today.

"It's bad enough these profit-making schools don't have to meet the same standards and obligations imposed on public schools, but the fact they can largely be staffed by unregistered and unqualified people is shocking," Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

In a written question Ms Delahunty asked Associate Education Minister John Banks whether there would be a maximum percentage allowed of unregistered teachers.

He replied: "The percentage of teaching staff who are not registered with the Teachers Council allowed to be employed at a Partnership School will be negotiated with the sponsor of each school at the contracting stage."

"So the schools get to decide how many staff need to be registered teachers. That is not only bad for the kids subjected to these schools, but has the potential to undermine conditions for teachers in the public system.

"New Zealand has a strong public education system. Taxpayers money rightly goes into that and should not be diverted into the hands of people offering lower standards of education," Ms Delahunty said.

"The schools don't have to follow the national curriculum and can be run by corporate or religious groups pushing their own ideologies onto children."

Ms Delahunty is today meeting with charter school advocate Mike Feinberg of the Knowledge Is Power Program and Karran Harper Royal of the Parents Across America who backs public education.