Moz, I believe we are talking about choice not compulsion. Nothing I have seen suggests that the Minister's move to facilitate online education amounts to compulsory home schooling. The proposal seems to me to offer resourcing which is currently not available to homeschoolers or children in school as an option that may be utilised in conjunction with or in substitution for 9 to 3 face to face school.

Having experienced alternative education I would like to see much more option to mix and match. Part time school, online courses and recognition that socialisation happens through many channels other than school.

I home educated three children who are now adults. They are well adjusted and accomplished young people who function very well socially. They are good citizens who contribute to society as workers and as volunteers. They coped well at university. Two have very good degrees and the third is well on the way to achieving hers. We used a range of resources including online courses (some of which were tutor moderated group programmes), the Correspondence School, homeschooling support groups, paper resources, volunteer organisations and sport to assist our children in becoming well rounded citizens. We did this for the most part without them attending face to face school. I totally accept that every child is entitled to an education but this does not mean every child needs to attend a school. Children can and do thrive in alternative environments. Minister Parata's proposal is a very welcome additional option in the range of resources which I believe should be available for parents to choose from when making educational decisions with their children. The view that children need to attend school in order to be socialised as functioning citizens is frankly incorrect. I know dozens of home educated children who are now adults who succeed perfectly well socially and in the workforce without having attended a traditional school.