The National Party is promising to spend an extra $2 billion on schools if it forms the next government, saying parents would have more choice of schools.
Its schools policy, released on Sunday 2 November, show it has moved well away from controversial policies of past elections, such as the bulk funding of teachers' salaries and a major shake up of school zoning.
Leader John Key said there would be greater flexibility with zoning and more funding for private schools.
Mr Key said National would lift the $40 million government funding cap on private schools and boost their funding to $70m.
That would take their per pupil funding to half of what a decile 10 state school receives.
He said private schools had become too elitist and the extra funding would make them affordable for struggling parents.
National would also expand some popular schools and make zoning more flexible, although its education spokesperson says every child would be able to go to their local school.
[Radio New Zealand's education correspondent says at the crux of National's so called crusade for literacy and numeracy is compulsory testing of primary school children against a national standard, but the problem is knowing where to set the benchmark with such a wide range of abilities amongst children.
