National’s Plan to ‘invest’ in schools
Beware: rant ahead.
Just over a week ago, the National party announced that it will use some of the money collected from asset sales to build a network for learning. Some of the money is also going to buildings etc.
Teachers are actually not happy with this – and here’s why:
- We thought the assets were being sold because we are in debt. #nobrainer
- There are several ‘networks for learning’ that are already being used by schools. These are teacher-initiated programmes.
There is a fear that what will really happen is that the government will re-label these awesome initiatives like KAREN and take the credit. There is also a fear that we live in a dynamic environment – you all know what that means.
It’s also not very cool when someone else says that there’s something broken with your sector that needs fixing.
Furthermore, I posted the following message to musicnet and it was moderated out.
Hi all
I think we need to put this in context:
Currently, schools around the country are coordinating their purchasing power to create projects like KAREN (http://www.it.canterbury.ac.nz/ats/karen.shtml). Schools have had little leadership from the ministry and little resource in the area of technology.
What the National government is (probably) going to do is:
- Sell assets to reduce debt (?)
- Make it appear as if they are ‘investing in education’ by announcing this N4L thing
- Co-opt KAREN into it
- Pat themselves on the back for delivering on an election promise that cost nothing.
The tech community seem to be as annoyed about this as musicnet.
Yes, we need investment in schools and teachers. Not clever bookkeeping.
Steve
(soon to be ex-musicteacher)
