7. Schools—Communities of Online Learning and FundingCHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Minister of EducationSchools—Communities of Online Learning and Funding7. CHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Minister of Education: How will her Communities of Online Learning (CoOL) proposal differ from online charter schools in the United States given a study partially funded by a private pro-charter foundation found students attending those schools lost an average of about 72 days of learning in reading and 180 days of learning in maths during the course of a 180-day school year?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): Significantly. As I set out in the answer to the previous question before a provider could become a community of online learning it must undergo an accreditation regime be subject to an intervention regime provide evidence of its capacity to provide pastoral care be subject to an accountability regime and demonstrate that it meets strict enrolment criteria—for example a restriction on the enrolment of students for whom there is a high risk of disengagement in an online environment. We have put these checks and balances in place because like the Labour Party members in their Future of Work document we agree that—and I quote from Labour's Future of Work document—… people can obtain entire qualifications online with the same quality of direct learning and engagement as if they were on site."Chris Hipkins: Does her own regulatory impact statement state "Historically academic achievement for New Zealand correspondence school students is lower than that of students in face-to-face education. Engagement can also be low."; if so what New Zealand evidence does she have that fully online learning that is allowed for in this proposal will result in better educational achievement?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The member is damning 23000 students which is the roll of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura)—the biggest school in New Zealand—and of course it has problems and challenges. [Interruption] Absolutely and the regulatory impact statement outlines that so I am glad the member has taken advantage of it. But like all schools in New Zealand that do face difficulties with engagement and achievement so too does Te Kura and it does a significantly good job with those kids who have been disengaged from other schools. As Dame Karen Sewell the chair of Te Kura has already publicly said she welcomes this new approach and looks forward to Te Kura becoming a community of online learning.David Seymour: Is the Minister aware that the study referred to in the primary question was popularised earlier this week in the American show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; if indeed that is how the member researched this primary question would that be an example of online learning?Hon HEKIA PARATA: To answer that question in reverse order yes it would be an example of that; in answer to the first part unlike the Opposition who use overseas comedy writers as the font of their knowledge we do not.Rt Hon John Key: Does the Minister find it very odd when she constantly gets to read reports from people who claim that they want children in New Zealand to get a better education especially the least well-off New Zealanders but never want to do anything other than just back up their union mates?Hon HEKIA PARATA: It is terribly disappointing for New Zealand parents who are very focused on how they get the best education for their kids and are constantly obstructed by naysayers.Mr SPEAKER: Order! A little less interjection from my immediate right.Chris Hipkins: Is she seriously suggesting that a primary school child sitting at home in their bedroom in front of a laptop or a tablet is going to get an education at least as good as a child sitting in a classroom surrounded by their peers and with a fully trained and qualified teacher guiding their learning?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Unlike the Opposition I do not propose to prescribe for every child in this country or hypothetically—Hon Annette King: Yes you do.Hon HEKIA PARATA: No I do not and that is why the bill is full of enabling provisions. We actually trust New Zealanders to make choices for themselves rather than have them prescribed to them by all-knowing other people.Rt Hon John Key: Is the Minister aware that on Stewart Island the school there has 28 pupils and those 28 pupils are all learning Mandarin the entire school and they are learning online and is that not a great thing—that young kids on Stewart Island are learning Chinese?Mr SPEAKER: Order! The first part of the question is in order. Supplementary questions should have only one leg to them.Hon HEKIA PARATA: I am aware of that. I am equally aware that Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiu o Ngati Porou in Ruatoria is teaching physics and chemistry in Te Reo Māori to other parts of the country. The members of the Opposition seem confused about this policy—because in my answer I made it clear that mainstream schools can be incorporated in this policy as providers of online learning. Mr SPEAKER: Order! We now have a discussion between two front-benchers which will cease.Chris Hipkins: Can she confirm that all of the students mentioned in her answer and in the Prime Minister's question were attending a school and what evidence does she have that they will get an equally good education if they are at home by themselves without a teacher?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Again the member falls victim to his own prejudices. In the policy that we have laid out we have said there is a full range of options of what these communities of online learning could be like. It includes provision by existing mainstream schools. It includes provision by existing tertiary institutions and it includes provision for provision by private providers. We are not saying yet what proposals will be acceptable.Chris Hipkins: Does she at least accept the irony that while she is talking about opening up more flexibility and choice she is massively reducing the flexibility and autonomy offered to existing public schools and subjecting them in the same bill to even more compliance and red tape?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I do not because this Government has invested over $700 million into those exact same schools to ensure that they can have digital technology—24/7 ultra-fast good-quality broadband data at no cost to them—and we have incorporated as of a month ago digital technology as a core part of the curriculum. This is a next step because this Government is future focused living now in the present and providing for our young people to be internationally connected. [Interruption] Yes very disappointing for those still living in the past; I understand that.Chris Hipkins: When her bulk funding proposal results in schools reducing the number of subjects on offer is she going to suggest to those students who can no longer take the subjects in school that they want to that they can enrol online rather than have the teacher in front of them as they have had previously?Hon HEKIA PARATA: First of all I have no proposal around bulk funding. Second of all in the funding review we are still in the middle of a consultation process. The third thing to know is that schools already offer blended learning and they do offer it outside the boundaries of their own school and fourthly our Government is absolutely supportive of that kind of collaboration.Rt Hon John Key: Has the Minister of Education seen a press release by the Labour Party from Jenny Salesa saying that when it comes to Pacific population and bilingualism in New Zealand the associate education spokesperson for Labour said this is a crucial—Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is absolutely no—[Interruption] Order! I do not need help from Mr Chris Bishop. There is firstly no ministerial responsibility and secondly it is a question that I perceive is designed to attack the Opposition party which is in breach of Speakers' rulings.Rt Hon John Key: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: No I am not interested in arguing about it. If it is another matter I will happily hear it.Rt Hon John Key: Yes. I seek leave to table the press release then.Mr SPEAKER: No and I am not prepared to put the leave.Marama Fox: In addition to digital technologies being made a core curriculum subject will the Minister consider Te Reo Māori and the New Zealand Land Wars also being made a core curriculum subject?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Te Reo Māori has exactly the same status in our curriculum as digital technology. It is available in any school where parents wish it to be available—Hon Trevor Mallard: That's not true.Hon HEKIA PARATA: —and it is resourced accordingly—it is true. In terms of the—Hon Trevor Mallard: Not true.Hon HEKIA PARATA: Argh! So from the past! In terms of ngā whawhai nui o Aotearoa because the Māori Party has made strong advocacy to beef up the resources around Māori history we have developed a significant website. I thank the Māori Party for that constructive advocacy."