8. Schools—Learning Support Services and Communities of LearningSARAH DOWIE (National—Invercargill) to the Minister of EducationSchools—Learning Support Services and Communities of Learning8. SARAH DOWIE (National—Invercargill) to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made that will enable more young people to succeed in the education system?Hon NIKKI KAYE (Minister of Education): On Friday I was pleased to announce that thousands more children and young people will benefit from a new approach that is making it easier for children to access additional learning support services. We are rolling out a pilot that has been trialled in three Bay of Plenty communities of learning to up to another 30 communities of learning and schools across the country. This will see the pilot expand out to another 70000 children and young people in early learning services and schools. This is part of our ambitious work programme which has seen funding for learning support increase by over 30 percent since 2008. Budget 2017 alone provided an additional $63 million over the next 4 years to support more young people.Sarah Dowie: How does this announcement fit into wider education system changes that ensure our young people succeed?Hon NIKKI KAYE: Over this term of Government we have made significant changes to ensure that our education system is delivering for young people. The learning support announcement is part of a wider plan to improve the lives of young people. This involves our funding system review the scrapping of the decile system the increasing of Vote Education from $8 billion to $11 billion implementing significant change in terms of a $360 million investment in communities of learning modernising our school infrastructure—a $5 billion investment—and the implementation of digital technologies. In comparison I note the report that recently said a low level of thinking is not helpful which was from the secondary school principals association regarding Labour's policy.Sarah Dowie: What are some of the results that she has seen that demonstrate more young people are being successful in the education system?Hon NIKKI KAYE: The most significant thing that the Government has done for our young people is ensure that they have the qualifications needed to go on to employment and further studies. In 2016 approximately 85 percent of 18-year-olds had NCEA level 2—a 17 percent lift on 2008. Additionally we have increased participation in early learning to nearly 97 percent. That means thousands more children in early learning. We also have more than half a million children now in communities of learning which is a significant achievement in terms of collaboration of schools.Chris Hipkins: Does she stand by her predecessor's promise that entry into communities of learning would be voluntary for schools; if so why should children attending schools that are not part of a community of learning be denied access to the additional learning support?Hon NIKKI KAYE: I welcome the question from this member. I just want to check that this question is not actually from the Australian Labor Party.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Minister will stand and answer that question properly or else she will leave the Chamber. [Interruption] Order! I am giving the Minister one more chance to address the question as asked.Hon NIKKI KAYE: Communities of learning are voluntary.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The second part of that question was why students should be denied access—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No; the member also knows the rules. If he goes back and looks at his question it was actually two questions and the Minister has addressed one—eventually.