Education union NZEI Te Riu Roa says an extra $5mil could be spent on the establishment of five charter schools, for which initial costs sat at $19mil, but at Te Riu Roa's AGM, international educationalist, Prof. Yong Zhao said the charter school system should be measured on results and a broad ranging curriculum.
Some feel that education in this country is heading in a new direction with national standards and the establishment of charter schools.
Those who support or oppose charter schools may find common ground in the views of Prof. Yong Zhao whose message is based around building creativity within children.
For Māori teachers on the ground, merely keeping up with new Govt policies is pushing them to the limit.
Under the National-led Govt, there has been a strong focus on National Standards, and it's believed charter schools could lift achievement rates, but members of Te Riu Roa prefer not to gamble with children's education.