The Manukau Family Literacy Programme (known to many as the COMET Programme) have been pursuing an answer regarding funding for quite some time and have recently found out – they won’t be getting the $350,000 that they need to operate next year.
The ridiculous thing is that this programme has been praised by all sides of parliament i.e. Tolley praised it at its September AGM and Rodney Hide said it ‘rocked his socks’ – in a speech he gave earlier this year.
The programme basically focuses on parents of usually new entrant children. It approaches literacy through the provision of a certificate in early childhood education (so the parents are engaged with the school their kids are at and improving literacy whilst learning techniques for teaching etc, and some go on to train as early childhood teachers).
The PricewaterhouseCoopers report shows that adults engaged in this programme are likely to increase their income by about about $200 a week. The majority of people who participate on this programme are Maori and Pacific. The benefits to society (as outlined by the PricewaterhouseCoopers report) far out weigh the amount of money spent on the programme.
I’ve heard that part of Tolley’s rationale was that they are investing in another literacy programme in South Auckland which Sharples launched (the Manurewa litearcy project) and although investing in childrens literacy programnmes is important – it ignores the fact that a big strategy for engaging the children in learning – is engaging their parents/ family.
This is one of the programmes that has fallen between the gaps with regards to changes in funding categories (it falls between Social Development and Tertiary Education). I’m looking in to how far Paula Bennetts advocacy for the programme extended – but from what I can tell, there was absolutely no advocacy from her whatsoever.
The other important point with regards to this programme and ACE cuts – is that Maori and PI are more likely to engage/ enrol in education/ courses as mature students and therefore – these decisions have a disproportionate affect on Maori and Pacific.
How incredibly frustrating. Having been a child of parents who had limited educations and low level literacy skills, I know the challenges that this creates for children (infact I wrote about about this in a Spasifik Magazine article recently). This is another example of Tolley not understanding her portfolio area – resulting in very very bad decisions that will have huge repercussions down the track.
The sooner we can get the other parties to all band together in a vote of no confidence, the better.
I shudder to think what would happen if Education ended up in Bennetts hands.
Speaking of which – while it is OT – when is the Labour reshuffle happening? I’d like to see it happen before National do theirs in order to catch them on the hop.
How confusing – spend money on literacy to raise standards, cut literacy programmes…does one hand know what the other is doing? I think not.
The woman defies logic and keeps showing how full of sawdust her head is. What is next? Cutting special needs programmes? (Oh – too late – did that already with conductive ed), close schools? (oh – too late – trying to do that in CHCH and Otago and Ack) – bulk funding? (oh – too late – trying to bring that in for guidance staff in secondary), Sack education staff – (oh – too late, doing that in the advisory sector), Wasting money on standards that already exist (oh – too late – already done), Giving money to the private sector so that disadvantaged kids can miss out(oh – too late – 30mil gone) etc…
So they’ve destroyed something excellent that was working just for the sake of inventing something else with their names on it?
Really Ruining Resources 
Its so wrong its upsetting.
I worked for the City Of Manukau Education Trust (COMET) for over 2 years and have seen first hand the difference this programme makes. Check out the site.
http://www.comet.org.nz
When I was there we got PWC to do a report on the economic value added to the families and communities through this programme. The full report is on the website under MFLP but this is the summary
“Credit Value – The tertiary partner delivers a programme which provides the adult learner with valid credits for ongoing learning or future employment. The credit value offers a pathway out of poverty for families: the PricewaterhouseCoopers report valued this at over $200 per week for a family.”
And we have seen those outcomes – many of the parents got degrees and other qualifications that they never would have had. They are now earning and reinvesting into the economy more money. They are not on benefits – everything the National Govt claims to be important – they have rejected by cutting this funding.
There is also a Parenting componant in the programme – I have met family literacy parents who said that they now know about their childs growth and development through this programme – they now know other ways to discipine without smacking and its life changing.
What I know is that you cant just give money to the teritary provider and the early childhood provider – this programme worked because COMET workers did the pastoral care, we developed the programmes, we found money for glasses for students who needed them and couldnt study without them. Every reason those parents had to give up, we did everything within our power to make the ride smooth for them – as smooth as my time through Uni was. We worked to give them every oppotunity to suceed and the National Party has taken this away.
I am devestated that this programme has been cut because it is everything this Government has said that they support. I shouldnt be surprised but I am constantly surprised about how this country has changed in the last year.
I assume the cut will also sadly put the Manukau Early Childhood Taskforce work in jeopardy?
@Paul
So true and so sad.
My children aren’t in school yet, have just over 2 years until that. I hope labour will be back in by then so this doesn’t affect them. It’s ludicrous.
There is some irony in the fact that you managed to misspell ‘literacy’.
Wasn’t it the COMET adult literacy programme that Local Government Minister Rortney Hide lauded to the rafters at the last local government conference as an exemplary example of how local government should work? Get stuck in to them, Carmel. Also, pity the corporate sector is too busy buying Audis to front up with some genuine sponsorship for this brilliant programme. Maybe some of their ex-staffers could shake a few pennies loose?
What’s aspirational about this Govt which preached aspiration when they were campaigning but is cutting people off at the knees who are trying to better themselves given their circumstances. Im thinking of my local area, of the solo mums/young women who studied foundation courses through ACE as a stepping stone into M.I.T but thanks to the cuts in education, the opportunity at this social service no longer exists. Im thinking of the English language courses at the local secondary school through ACE that was well used by the neighbouring refugee centre, their stepping stone into communicating in our society has also been removed.
there is no equity and no fairness in cutting funds here and increasing amounts to private schools. I have no confidence in this Minister of Education, the decisions she has made have been disgraceful, I can understand the need for cuts in this recession on the one hand but then giving out money to private schools on the other hand, doesnt make sense and smacks of cronyism.
Julie – I am sure the COMET crew will continue with the work in the imporatant area of ECE co-ordination. I was involved in some work around provision of ECE services when I worked there and we need more more more!
The COMET team met with John Key today in Otara so fingers crossed that they can convince him to overturn Tolleys decision
“More irrational cuts to education – What was Tolley thinking… or was she thinking?”
Well we know the answer to this… Just in case we all missed it before, Tolley seems quite happy to continue to prove her absolute and embarassing lack of understanding of education within New Zealand. Wonderful initiatives which have made real progress in raising student achievement levels are being ditched, and for what reason? Is it not clear that enabling our young people to realise their potential is one excellent way to minimise future, potentially highly costly social problems in this country? Is it not obvious that encouraging our citizens to succeed sows the seeds for some very positive returns in terms of our country’s ability to prosper in a global economy. Why is Tolley being so short-sighted and ignorant of our Nations needs? It is an insult to educators and an affront to us all that National would put someone as lacking as Tolley is, in charge of the education port-folio. In the meantime, educator’s who know the true worth of these programmes can but mourn their loss.
For shame National.