Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDelahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 28 May 2014. Volume:699;Page:18392. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]6.CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) to theMinister of Education: What action will she take to tackle the problem of children coming and going at decile one schools at a rate equivalent to half those schools’ rolls as the Child Poverty Action group found in their latest report?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): Talofa lava Mr Speaker. I am taking a number of actions to tackle this problem and to raise achievement for all. That is why this Government is investing more in schools than ever before. Those actions include for example a new attendance service; student management systems where schools text parents when kids are away; social workers for every decile 1 2 and 3 primary school; around 300 nurses to work with most schools around the country; a breakfast in schools programme 5 mornings a week; child care after-school care and holiday care for about 47000 kids; and a further $85 million in operational grants. Let us be clear: fewer than five kids in every 1000 move schools twice in a year and that has been stable since this Government came into office. The rate of kids moving has been decreasing across low-decile schools in the same period and the Child Poverty Action Group acknowledges that.Catherine Delahunty: Does she agree with the school principal quoted in the Child Poverty Action Group’s report that roll churn in low-decile areas is a major problem that is not given proper recognition by the Ministry of Education; if not why not?Hon HEKIA PARATA: No; I accept that it is for that particular principal. I accept that for the 55 percent response rate to the survey conducted by the Child Poverty Action Group they have particular challenges. We are working with each of those schools as well as across the system. That is why we know that movement of kids inand out of schools is lower than it was before 2009 and has remained stable since that time. The Child Poverty Action Group’s report acknowledges that.Catherine Delahunty: Why is she spending $27 million for the current five small charter schools when she could tackle a widespread problem that is clearly holding kids back in terms of their educational achievement—i.e. churn of up to 52.8 percent?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I will just refer the member to the significant range of actions we are taking that I gave in my principal answer. In addition we are not going to do all the same things we have always done or we will keep getting what we have always got. We are investing in five partnership schools none of whose parents are compelled to send their children there but are doing so. They are having significant attendance and engagement at those schools.Catherine Delahunty: When will she stop diverting resources into sideshows like charter schools for about 300 children and start dealing with widespread problems like school churn in low-decile areas?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The Green Party might want to dismiss this as a sideshow but parents have chosen these options for themselves in the same way that parents who choose kura kaupapa kura-ā-iwi State-integrated mainstream single-sex or co-ed schools do—because they consider that their children will do better there. That is a choice that we respect.Jacinda Ardern: Does she agree with the Child Poverty Action Group’s findings that the problem of high transient rates goes beyond the capabilities of the education sector; if so which other Ministers has she raised this issue with specifically?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I certainly agree that education has a significant contribution to make together with the efforts that my colleagues are also making. That is why for instance I have already indicated that for every decile 1 2 and 3 school there is a social worker available. That is why we have increased the investment into rheumatic fever and supporting kids’ health so that they can be at school. That is why my colleague has been investing in social housing and support for families in turn. That is why our Government is investing in a strong economy—so that there can be the creation of the 84000 jobs that have been delivered in the past year. It is not one thing or another; it is how all of those come together. That is why we have a higher achievement rate than ever before.