Apparently, it is now a school’s role to ensure that kids get their drivers licence…that’s the least you can take from Labour’s new policy for youth. They clearly think parents have no responsibility for the upbringing of their children so are now going to make schools extend their curriculum even further to offer driving lessons.
Labour is promising funding for all secondary students to be taught to drive, budget, and understand the political system to help them transition into work and the community.
Leader Jacinda Ardern announced the policy on Monday morning, which the party calls a “school leavers’ toolkit”.
“Having a driving licence so you can get to work, knowing how to fit into a workplace, knowing how to manage your money, and knowing how to take your place in the community – these are all important skills in adult life, and we need to do more to ensure our young people are equipped with them,” Ms Ardern said.
Key points from Labour’s new policy:
- All secondary students would be offered five hours of free driving lessons, a defensive driving course, and free testing for their restricted and full licenses before they leave school
- The party is taking aim at the decline in voting among young people, and will teach civics education in all high schools
- Courses on budgeting and financial literacy would be available in all high schools
- Every high school will have careers advisors
Ms Ardern said the policy was developed after its Future of Work Commission found that secondary students needed to be better equipped when they left school.
“Labour’s School Leavers’ Toolkit will help students learn to drive, understand practical budgeting, be equipped with workplace skills, and learn how our political system operates through civics education at school,” she said.
The policy will be funded as part of the $4 billion Labour has committed for the education sector.
In the sound bites, stupid Jacinda said not having a drivers licence was “criminalising” our youth. Yes, really, she said that.
But here is the real kicker. The Labour party is spending billions on Auckland public transport and then promises to put thousands of students into private cars, on the road and also is going to pay for it.
Talk about the left hand not knowing what the right one is doing.
These sorts of things are what any good parent should be doing as a matter of course. We taught our kids to drive, we paid for a Defensive Driving Course for both of them, we paid for driving lessons to polish them up for their licences and both kids passed their licence first time.