Education is one of the hallmarks of a civilised society that aims to pass down knowledge from generation to generation so as a team we can achieve better and greater things.

Advance NZ believes our future, economic, cultural and social wellbeing will depend on our knowledge base and our ability to understand and to innovate in all fields of action. Our policy will reflect on this by increasing the support and funding our school systems are receiving. From our Universities and tertiary institutions. To our Schooling and Early Childhood Education programs - every step of the system is built on the previous one.

Our tertiary policy will reflect on this by giving more support to students studying at our universities and polytechnics. Originally, prior to 1989, university fees were low. It was the Labour Government that introduced university tuition fees which changed the culture of academia and put it on to the public to pay for it. We will strive to return to our academic glory and will give our students a fair chance to succeed without being burdened financially.

We recognise how important Early Childhood Education is to build a solid foundation for our children into the world around us. Every child deserves to be given the opportunity for the best start in life. Our education policy will ensure that learning opportunities are fair, inclusive, and based on each learner’s individual needs. We will promote the decentralisation of the curriculum, and encourage focus on local community interests and needs.

Our current primary and secondary school systems are failing. Pupils are being taught subjects at school but are not learning the basic principles of living. These include things such managing money and completing tax returns as well eating well and fitting into a community. We believe that the primary function of school is to prepare our children for the world outside school. Currently, this is not being achieved and many young people are leading school lacking necessary real world skills.

We believe a massive overhaul of the NCEA assessment system is required so that it fairly reflects the study and effort students put into their studies. The system in place is a complicated mess that sees students planning risk management strategies to complete a test as fast as possible while having to decide upon taking a chance in completing only excellence questions or to complete merit and achievement questions in case they get it wrong. 

We will fix our failed education system.

Policy in Brief

• Reaffirm the fees-free education system that Labour has turned back on.
• We will review that funding is directed into improving conditions for our teachers at school.
• More Liberty around Student Allowance Eligibility.
• We will re-introduce and expand the charter school of learning.
• Abolish the annual registration fee for teacher certification.

Advance NZ plan:

Tertiary Education

• No fees for the first 3 years of study in public tertiary institutions: Universities, polytechnics and wānanga. This will be extended in cases for a long Bachelor’s degree such as Medical Science and others. 
• Immediate review of the funding of private tertiary institutions – with the intention of removing fees for institutions which are meeting needs for educationally disadvantaged groups/providing training in skill shortage areas and are not in competition with public providers.
• Removal of the parental income test for the student allowance and review the level of the student allowance and access to add-on allowances to eliminate student hardship.
• Increased student allowance eligibility including:
  • Restoring the student allowances for post-graduate students.
  • Abolishing the age caps for the student allowance.
  • Removal of parental income tests and making it a universal student allowance.
  • Review the level of student allowance and access to add-on allowances to eliminate student hardship for full-time students so they can focus on study without need to rely on high working hours as well.

Primary & Secondary School Systems

Advance NZ supports the right of individuals to decide whether their children go into public school, charter school and various other forms including home-schooling. We believe that the family choice of education trumps UNESCO demands of teaching and will reinforce the Sovereignty of the family. We will:

• Re-introduce and expand the charter school model of learning
• Give greater freedom for special character schools to establish and operate
• Oppose all attempts to remove locally elected representatives on Boards of Trustees
• Mandate at public school that students learn basic home economics. We believe school can have a balance between learning practical skills and creative pursuits. This would include things such as how to look after yourself, how to get a job or an apprenticeship, how to eat properly and how to manage money around the household.

The end result being students that are taught how to be self-reliant.

Review the current budget for education, and ensure that funding is going directly towards better outcomes for learners. We will minimise the large amount of money being spent on new systems, unnecessary processes, and endless discussions which have led to minimal outcome impacts and more labelling of children. We will review and amend as necessary the corporatisation of education in NZ.

Early Childhood Education

• To ensure that our children get a good start on the education track. We will aim for 100% qualified early childhood education staff.
• We also stand with the Public Service Association in regards to the fact that ECE teachers are facing up to 49% pay gap between themselves and their colleagues in kindergartens and schools. We will review the funding for ECE to ensure that these teachers are being paid fairly for their work in preparing our children for the life ahead of them.
• Support B4 School checks to remain at age 4 years.

Teachers

• We will financially recognise teachers for the professionals that they are, including pay parity.
• We will review that funding is directed into improving teacher pay rates across the board, reducing teacher/child ratios, upgrading school facilities and infrastructure, equipment, and resources.
• We will ensure that teachers are given non-contact time to research the needs of their learners, encourage communication with families, and ensure that local knowledge and emergent curriculum are offered. This will include professional development opportunities.
• We will financially recognise teachers for the professionals that they are, including pay parity.
• Abolish the annual registration fee for teacher certification.