Labour leader Helen Clark received a standing ovation from hundreds of teachers at a Wellington conference on Monday for her promise to boost pay for school support staff.
She told members of the education union, the NZEI, that Labour would provide additional funding to give a "pay jolt" for low-paid school support staff, including secretaries, librarians and teacher aides.
Helen Clark also listed what she called the government's achievements in education over the past nine years, including a 38% increase in teachers' pay and the 20 free hours child care policy for three and four year olds.
She claimed the National Party would bring back what she called discredited policies of the past, such as national testing for primary children and performance pay for teachers