Colin Ambler /cvnznews.com
ACT has accused Chris Hipkins of misrepresenting the cost of charter schools, while Labour continues to argue the model should be abolished and its schools returned to the public education system.
ACT Leader David Seymour has accused Labour leader Chris Hipkins of misleading voters over the cost of charter schools, escalating a long-running dispute over the future of the programme.
The criticism follows comments by Hipkins that charter schools cost significantly more than state schools. Seymour says figures published by the Charter School Agency show the opposite, arguing charter schools receive funding broadly comparable to, and in some cases less than, equivalent state schools.
According to ACT, primary state schools receive an average of $8,762 per student compared with $8,278 at charter schools, while secondary state schools receive $11,040 per student compared with $10,741. ACT says these figures contradict claims that charter schools cost four times as much as traditional schools.
Seymour challenged Hipkins to correct the record, saying the funding information is publicly available through the Charter School Agency. He also argued opposition to charter schools is driven by teacher union interests rather than student outcomes.
ACT points to growing enrolments, claiming student numbers have increased from 215 when the first schools opened to more than 2,100 today. The party says several charter schools have exceeded attendance and achievement targets while providing alternatives for students who struggled in mainstream education.
Labour, however, remains firmly opposed to the charter school model and has committed to abolishing the programme if it forms the next government. Education spokesperson Ginny Andersen has argued there is nothing charter schools are doing that cannot be achieved within the existing state system, including schools with a special character or Māori-led educational approaches. Labour says charter schools would be transitioned back into the public system rather than closed outright.
The disagreement highlights a sharp philosophical divide in the election campaign. ACT argues charter schools offer innovation, accountability and greater choice for families, while Labour contends those goals can be achieved within the state education system without maintaining a separate charter school network.
