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The ACT Party on Education

Education has emerged as a key concern in recent general elections and provides significant points of contrast between the main political parties. The issue is regularly one of the top three issues for voters in opinion polls. The future of state education, the suitability of the national curriculum, and the funding of higher education have all become key issues as the 2010 general election approaches.

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The issues

The ACT Party strongly opposes NCEA

An Act spokesman says the party opposes NCEA. Act policy merely says it will create “an Education Authority [which] will establish guidelines of expected standards to be reached at various age levels (similar to inflation targets of Reserve Bank). In 2005 leader Rodney Hide said, “ Unlike National, ACT has opposed the NCEA from day one... ACT believes schools should be given the choice of dumping the NCEA and replacing it with an internationally recognised, exam-based qualifications system.”

The ACT Party strongly supports bulk-funding of schools

Act’s 2008 policy doesn’t mention bulk-funding specifically, saying instead that “Schools, like any business, will be responsible for managing their own affairs within the laws of New Zealand and any educational regulations, specified by the Education Authority”. The party though has been a long time supporter and when bulk-funding was in place the party said its removal would contribute to the “dumbing-down of education”

The ACT Party opposes providing 20 hours of free early childhood education

The party doesn’t speak specifically about early childhood education in its policy, but is committed to a competitive marketplace in education rather than government subsidies.

The ACT Party strongly opposes universal allowances for tertiary students

The party makes no mention of student allowances in its policy, but believes in a competitive market in education rather than government subsidies. On October 14, 2008 Act MP Heather Roy was reported criticising Labour’s plans for a universal allowance. The New Zealand Herald reported: “[Act] opposes Labour's universal student allowance policy, saying the country cannot afford it”.

The ACT Party strongly supports education vouchers for school pupils to be able to go to their school of choice

At the Act 2008 campaign launch leader Rodney Hide said, “I support education vouchers for school pupils to be able to go to their school of choice. We need to fully State-fund students who attend private and independent schools. The Left calls it a voucher. I call it a scholarship. I don't care about the name. But I know we need the policy.” The party’s policy adds more detail, saying, “The scholarship would either come to you as a tax cut, or be paid by the government to the school of your choice. You’d be able to spend the scholarship at any approved school you like. It could be public, independent, non-profit, or for-profit”. However the party does still advocate school-zoning.

The ACT Party supports bonding graduates to remain in New Zealand in return for a partial write-off of their student loan

An Act spokesman says the party supports a graduate bonding scheme, but there is no detail in the party’s policy.