A teachers' union says the Government is keeping the public in the dark about a charter schools bill by making the deadline for submissions when people are on holiday.
The New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association is asking Associate Education Minister John Banks to extend the 24 January deadline for submissions on the Education Amendment Bill.
PPTA president-elect Angela Roberts says the deadline falls at a time when parents, boards and teachers are particularly busy with the start of the school year to consider the implications of the bill.
Ms Roberts says the PPTA opposes charter schools because they would not be subject to the official information act or the Auditor-General and would be able to spend taxpayers' money in ways that state schools cannot.
She is calling on the public to make submissions.
Mr Banks says the Government will not consider changing the deadline and there is plenty of time for discussion.
