Leader of the ACT Party /u/Fresh3001 today discussed his party’s education policies with teachers, students, and parents at Whangarei Boys’ High.

“ACT believes that at a time when living costs in big cities are soaring, we should be paying teachers more. ACT would seek to link teacher salaries to living costs, and would better fund schools in urban areas with more strain on their teaching staff, and a shortage of teachers. With schools being so integral to the wellbeing of our younger generations, it only makes sense that they receive a proper education. ACT would also allow schools to pay good teachers more, through bulk funding to those which opt-out of union contracts.

“ACT also believes in returning national standards to our education system. It’s just common sense that we should be measuring results nationally and consistently. ACT also supports the compulsory teaching of Te Reo Māori in primary school curriculums. We should work to preserve Māori culture by passing it on to our younger generations, and a compulsory subject at a level of schooling where most subjects are compulsory anyway doesn’t conflict with ACT’s principle of personal choice.”