Private investment threatens public education

Private sector investment will compromise the self managing environment of NZ schools according to the education sector union NZEI.

A public-private partnership fund is being set up to invest up to $500 million in social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.

The fund will finance, build and maintain facilities for the government in return for an annual fee.

NZEI says the involvement of private companies in education is not a good fit and profit should not be a driver in public education.

NZ schools are unique in terms of their autonomy. NZEI vice-president Ian Leckie says private ownership of school facilities will compromise that and most people won’t want private companies profiting out of social infrastructure.

“If facilities are owned by a private company then that company will want to manage them for the best possible returns. That will completely undermine the ability of NZ’s self managing schools to use their buildings and facilities when and how they want to.

“Teaching and learning should come first, not profit.”

Mr Leckie also says any public private partnership raises the threat of foreign ownership of NZ education, as well as moves to use education to advertise or brand private investment.

“The investment is only as secure as the company behind it,” says Mr Leckie.

“What happens if that company goes bust – we just have to look across the Tasman at the Sydney tunnel project for the answer. And do we really want children wearing school uniforms with company logos?

“Those are the sorts of questions and realities we could be facing if we allow private investment in our schools.”

NZEI believes the true extent of the government’s privatisation agenda is becoming clearer and says there are signals from the ACT Party which are of serious concern.

In a recent speech, ACT MP and associate education minister Heather Roy said nowhere is it written that the government must own education property or even employ teachers and staff.

She also announced that, as part of ACT’s Confidence and Supply agreement with the government, an inter-party working group has been established to look at increasing parental and student choice in education.

Mr Leckie says that is simply code for looking into more private involvement and investment in NZ’s education system.