Charter Schools will not benefit New Zealand Education.

Charter schools are publically funded and privately run Primary or secondary schools. These schools have been freed from a selection of the laws and regulations that govern traditional schools. Recently, the New Zealand government announced its intention to implement charter schools into areas of Auckland and East Christchurch. Many throughout the local and national community believe there will be no, to very little, positive effects of Charter schools on the New Zealand educational environment and are concerned about effects these schools will have on: Registered and qualified teachers, their effects on other schools within the community, as well as the concern of whether or not, charter schools would provide a better educational experience overall for the children.

Charter schools are not required to employ qualified or registered teachers to teach its students. This has a huge impact on [registered and qualified] teachers, especially graduates seeking employment. There are huge concerns that qualified teaching graduates would lose out on jobs to unskilled and untrained 'teachers'. There is so much potential for charter schools to exploit beginning teachers in terms of working conditions and job opportunities. Another problem is that teacher trainees who dropped out or failed to make the cut, still have the opportunity to be employed by these schools, which in turn, end up undermining the value of trained teachers. "The potential ripple effect is that people will think, what's the point of studying?" says education officer Gemma Swan. Further concerns that graduates would be forced to take up poorly paid and supported positions in charter schools in a bid to gain employment is also rising. Gemma Swan explains that, "there is such a small pool of jobs as it is, that graduates may be treated poorly due to their lack of experience."