Nikki Kaye's report card on education election promises

Former Education Minister Nikki Kaye has drawn up a report card on education election promises. Photo / Nick Reed

National's Nikki Kaye says there is a high level of disappointment in the education sector because of a high number of unmet election promises made by Labour.

She calculates there are 57 as-yet unmet education promises from the party's manifesto, Labour's Fiscal Plan, the Speech from the Throne setting out the Government's three-year plan, and commitments Labour made with Coalition partner New Zealand First and confidence and supply partner the Green Party.

By her calculation there are 25 implemented policies and 31 partially implemented.

However Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has long made it clear that the only policies the Government would commit to were contained in the Speech from the Throne or the Coalition and Confidence and Supply agreements.

And when the unmet manifesto promises are taken out of Nikki Kaye's calculations, there are only seven unmet promises – with one more Budget in 2020 in which they may be delivered.

An example of a policy only partially implemented is the 2019 Budget measure giving Decile 1 to 7 schools $150 per child if the school agrees to stop requesting donations from parents.

Before the election, the policy promise was to apply to all schools.

Kaye makes no apology for including the manifesto-only promises in her calculations.

She said a lot of people had not appreciated that about 50 promises had been "traded away" when Labour formed Government.

"They are no longer a promise. They are a 'maybe'."

She said there was uncertainty around the manifesto promises and the Government should be transparent about which of its policies it was not planning to implement this term.

Kaye has come up with her own report card on Education Minister Chris Hipkins and gives him an "F" on a website she has launched on education policies.

She said would update it as new policies were announced "but for me this is about holding them to account for the full set of promises or at least being transparent at least if they are not going to deliver them this term".

Among the policies she cites as not having been delivered are:

• Ensuring all students have access to mobile digital devices. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto / Speech from the Throne

• Extra funding for ECE centres that employ 100 per cent qualified and registered teachers. Labour's Fiscal Plan - Page 14

• Introduce a Young Entrepreneurs Policy to allow 18-23 year olds to trade three years free and apply for a $20,000 grant. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto / Speech from the Throne

• Increase the number of people pursuing trades qualifications and employment by offering an award for top Year 12 and 13 students in vocational courses in every public secondary school. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto / Speech from the Throne

• Increasing number of social workers available to all levels of the education sector to ensure schools are supported in dealing with behavioural issues. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto

• Free Driver Training. NZ First / Labour Coalition Agreement / Speech from the Throne

• Review learning support so that resources are allocated based on individual needs of each child. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto

• Ensuring all teachers and support staff receive professional development and information on inclusive education and disability awareness to ensure active participation of all students. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto

• Ensuring every student has a personalised career and learning development plan for their first year at secondary school, professionalising career advice and integrating it into learning. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto

• Ensure that schools and tertiary institutions do not rely on revenue from international students to make ends meet. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto

• Restoring post-graduate students' eligibility for student allowances. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto

• Extend the mandate of the Education Review Office to include initial teacher education providers. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto

• Establish a College of Educational Leadership that will operate as part of the education advisory service. Labour's 2017 Education Manifesto