The Labour Party in New Zealand will ensure higher funding to the adult and community education sector, reports NZ Herald. While taking out the education card, the Labour party also accused the John Key government of stopping many innovative schemes in education. Certainly, the Labour Party is trying to make all the right noises.

Making the announcement on the Education sector, Labour spokesperson Megan Woods criticised the National government for making drastic cuts in the funding for night classes in 2009.

The Labour party now promises funding of $13 million in the first two years. Thereafter, $9 million will be earmarked for the following years in education. There is a plan to allocate $1 million a year for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.

Night Class Restoration

In Bay of Plenty, the funding cut for night classes was 31 per cent. As a result, 15 schools stopped night classes, and just one school is offering that.

The $1.5 million scheme saw 90 per cent cut in terms of the number of classes being offered. Despite the assertions of National Party that night classes will continue, the number of schools offering such courses was reduced from 212 to just 21. Many active night class providers left after the funding was cut.

Boost for ACE

The Labour Party will work with the Adult and Community Education (ACE) in ensuring more funds. The spokesman charged that the cuts made into ACE by National government were short-sighted and it hit the economy.

ACE had been giving Kiwis the chance to make their lives better through literacy and numeracy classes for better employment, computer training and ESOL classes to settle into new communities very easily.

Labour Least Exciting

According to political commentator Bryce Edward, despite a broad agenda for social sectors, Labour leader David Cunliffe is not leading the campaign with the image of a future winner. The Labour leader has been issuing apologies all over the place. Right wing blogger David Farrar also suggested that Labour is riven by internal feuds. Many senior politicians are focused more on internal issues than changing the society or winning the election.