By Jessica Rowe
While educators up and down the country are attacking the Government's charter schools plan, a couple of principals in Christchurch are welcoming the initiative.
The Government's planning to trial charter schools in South Auckland and parts of Christchurch to lift achievement in low socio-economic areas.
The last nine months has been full of uncertainty for quake-affected schools in Christchurch. Now there's more of it to put up with, with the Government's plans to trial charter schools in the central and eastern parts of the city.
But despite almost universal opposition among teachers, a few Christchurch principals see it as a potentially huge benefit.
"I think a partnership with a business which is prepared to take on some social responsibility by helping us with resources… can leave the school to do the things they do very well, which is educate young people," says Christchurch Boys' High principal Trevor McIntyre.
Principal of Rudolf Steiner School Thomas Proctor also sees it as a positive step.
"It's fantastic to have diversity," he says. "Diversity is great, but it has to come with freedom, so whether it is freedom with finance and freedom with diversity, that's terrific and that's how education should be."
Under the charter, state-funded schools would be given extra money from businesses, religion and community groups. Schools would draw up their own curriculum and qualifications, and teachers' pay would be linked to their performance.
But the Canterbury Primary Principals' Association says there's still too much unknown.
"I have no hesitation about additional funding, but my concern would be about the other parts, talking about things like having untrained teachers," says John Bangma.
The charter schools will be introduced to central and eastern Christchurch over the next three years.
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