Over 50pc support 'trust schools'

More than half of New Zealanders agree with a National Party education policy that would allow elite "trust schools" to take over weaker schools, according to a Herald-DigiPoll survey.

The survey found that 50.7 per cent of those polled agreed with the policy that would see "trust schools" have financial independence and would protect them from political and bureaucratic interference. Thirty-six per cent disagreed with the policy announced last month during National leader Don Brash's education speech.

The speech, which outlined a sweeping package of education reforms, included the controversial promise to bring in national reading and maths standards for 7-year-olds, who would be tested to see if they were making the grade, and would get vouchers for extra tuition if they were struggling.

Another controversial policy was to give more funding to private schools.

The Herald-DigiPoll survey found that 59.3 per cent of those surveyed disagreed with this policy and 31.6 per cent agreed.

National education spokesman Bill English said the reason many disagreed was because they were under the false impression that an increase of funding for private schools would mean a decrease for state schools.

He was not surprised about the support of the "trust school" concept. "Most parents are quite pragmatic about what it takes to lift educational performance. They are not hung up on ideology and they don't want to see us continue with what isn't working."