Yang Jian: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeYang Jian: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 31 May 2016. Volume:714;Page:11473. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.Dr JIAN YANG (National) to the Minister of Education: What recent announcement has she made that demonstrates the Government’s commitment to investing in educational achievement?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): This Government has invested the most money ever in education. At just over $11 billion it continues this Government’s considerable investment in the educational future of all our children and young people. The investment includes an extra $396.9 million over the next 4 years in early childhood education providing funding for over 14000 more children in 2019-20; $42.1 million for children with special needs over the next 4 years; $882.5 million for school property for 480 new classrooms nine new schools two school expansions—Tracey Martin: Even charter schools? Spending over private property but with public money.Hon HEKIA PARATA: —and the relocation and rebuilding of three schools and a kura; and $43.2 million over the next 4 years for schools educating students most at risk of educational under-achievement. Given the nonstop talking of the member from New Zealand First I helpfully have a postcard here that sets out all of those numbers I have just read.Dr Jian Yang: How will this investment ensure educational success for the most vulnerable New Zealanders?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Budget 2016 uses a social investment approach to direct an extra $43.2 million of operating funding over 4 years to schools educating about 150000 students most at risk of educational failure. The schools targeted for this new funding have students who have spent a significant proportion of their lives in benefit-dependent households. Research shows that children aged between 6 and 14 who have been supported by benefits for three-quarters of their life have only a 48 percent chance of achieving National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 2 by age 21. By contrast 73 percent of the general population will have NCEA level 2 by that age. Indicative modelling shows that the overwhelming majority of schools will receive some extra funding. This targeted approach to operational funding will increase these students’ chances of getting the educational qualifications they need and deserve.Dr Jian Yang: What benefits will this investment bring to New Zealand children?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Education is a passport to a better future. This investment will ensure that the children at greatest risk of under-achievement will get the support they need to succeed in education. This is intended to protect them from a host of poor social outcomes in their adult life which lead to increased costs to themselves and to the Government in the future. It will ensure that New Zealand children grow up to be successful productive and confident Kiwis.Chris Hipkins: What does it say about the Government’s priorities in education that the funding allocated in this year’s Budget for new charter schools is almost the same as the total increase in funding for all secondary schools in New Zealand?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The first thing to say is that overall Vote Education has gone up by 2.5 percent. The second thing to say is that the member is comparing a very small part of the overall investment in education. The third thing to say is that the kids who are at the partnership schools are kids who have not been successful in other options and are now being successful. The fourth thing to say is that we are committed to choice and diversity in our education system and no parent is being forced to send their kids to partnership schools.