Insight for Sunday 14 April 2013

The government's planned partnership schools, publicly-funded private schools inspired by the charter schools that run in many US states, have attracted supporters and critics.

 The schools' proponents say those freedoms will allow them to innovate and break the link between poverty and educational under-achievement.

But critics of the government's plans say the schools are a dangerous experiment that will harm children.

Radio New Zealand's education correspondent, John Gerritsen, talks to those for and against partnership schools, including people who hope to run the schools, and those who say the state system is already doing a good job.