8. Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What were the major cuts to Vote Education and what was the reason each was made?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) Link to this
I will say again that, overall, Vote Education rises from $10.5 billion to $10.8 billion this year. In anyone’s language that is an addition, not a cut. We have reprioritised some funding. One example is that we are not proceeding with the teacher-child ratio changes in early childhood education, at a saving of $275 million, because that money would have done nothing to increase participation in early childhood education. Instead, teachers would have been soaked up by existing services, making it harder to staff new services in areas of great need. We have been unable to proceed with very large commitments made by the previous Government to the tertiary sector, because there was no funding for them. [ Interruption]
Mr SPEAKERHon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Does the Minister take ministerial responsibility for the list of Budget 2009 education savings on her ministry’s website?
Allan PeacheyThere are a large number of initiatives, and I am very proud of them all. One in particular of which I am extremely proud is that the Government will be investing an additional $51 million in special education services to help more students access the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme. These children have high to very high needs, and we will be helping more of these children than the previous Government did. In fact, when this initiative is fully rolled out, an extra 1,100 children will be assisted with special education services.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
How will the approximately 1,000 teachers to be dismissed in 2011 be selected: will they be selected from schools that are performing well, or will they be selected from schools that are performing poorly; will it be done on a random basis, with one teacher selected from every second school; or will it be done by way of the answer that Bill English has just whispered into the Minister’s ear?
We have decided that we will review the complexity of the formula-driven funding entitlements and funding streams administered by the Ministry of Education. The savings of $50 million will represent just 1.5 percent of the school staffing cost. The Government, like everyone in tight times, has to look at all areas of expenditure to ensure that funds are being spent effectively to improve educational achievement.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Although the question was a longer one, it was relatively simple. The question asked how the teachers who are to be dismissed will be selected. That was not addressed.
If the member reflects back on his question, he will realise that he built an assertion into it. If I recollect correctly, he asked how the 1,000 teachers—
I believe that the honourable Minister gave a rather different response to that assertion, and that is the dilemma. When the member puts an assertion like that into the question, it is difficult to get the exact answer he is looking for, because there is no evidence that that is exactly what will happen.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I think that across the House we can agree that 1.5 percent is approximately 1,000 teachers. I do not think the Minister will deny that. She certainly did not deny it by way of her answer.
We must not debate the answer by way of points of order. The member obviously has further supplementary questions.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Can I just go back to my original point of order. There was a plain question about how the teachers to be dismissed will be selected. That was not addressed.
I think I accurately reflected the member’s question; let me see whether I can accurately reflect the answer. I think the Minister said that the formula by which these resources are allocated will be reviewed. I take it from that answer that there will be a change to how the resource is allocated, but she cannot tell the member exactly what he wants to know at this stage. The member can pursue that in further supplementary questions.
I am very proud of the fact that we are bringing kōhanga reo and playcentres into the 20 free hours early childhood education scheme. The previous Government had an ideological point of view that only teacher-led early childhood services could be quality services. Well, this Government believes that parent-led services can also be high quality. We are happy to support parents of children in those institutions. I look forward to the Opposition visiting kōhanga reo and playcentres and telling them why they do not deserve to be classed as quality services.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Is the Minister seriously telling the House that, to use her figure, 1.5 percent of teachers will be dismissed in election year and she does not yet know how they will be selected?
What I said to the member in answer to my previous question was that we would be reviewing the complexity of formula-driven funding entitlements in the funding streams administered by the Ministry of Education. The savings of $50 million would represent only 1.5 percent of school staffing costs. We will be in discussion with the sector about how that may be achieved.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Standing Orders and, especially, Speakers’ rulings make it clear that if a short answer can be given, it should be. The answer to my question was yes, and that should have been the answer.
The honourable member knows that he should not use points of order to debate the answer like that. He must stop doing that. It is totally contrary—