National says Labour has run out of ideas on education after the party unveiled a plan to limit children’s screen time, a policy National claims it announced four weeks earlier.

Labour’s Kids Off Screens policy, released on Sunday, promises healthier boundaries around screen use in schools, more funding for after school sport and activities, and better online safety tools for parents.

“Labour’s policy mirrors National’s screen use policy announced four weeks ago and is an admission Labour knows National is on the right track. But copying parts of our plan is not the same as having a plan of its own,” National education spokesperson Erica Stanford said.

The criticism comes three years after Labour Leader Chris Hipkins dismissed National’s plan to ban phones in schools during the 2023 election campaign.

At the time, Hipkins said schools could already make that call themselves. “They don’t need Christopher Luxon’s permission to do that. Many schools do that already,” he said.

Stanford challenged Hipkins to go further and commit to National’s other classroom reforms.

“If Labour now accepts National was right on limiting devices in classrooms and keeping mobile phone restrictions, Chris Hipkins should tell parents whether he will also keep the hour a day of reading, writing and maths.”

National’s reforms were lifting achievement after years of decline, she said, pointing to phonics results rising from 36 to 58 per cent, statistically significant gains in Year 6 maths and writing, and PAT results showing primary and intermediate students making the equivalent of four months’ extra progress in maths between 2024 and 2026.

“There is still a long way to go, but the progress is real.”

Labour had six years in government and achievement went backwards, Stanford said.

Announcing the policy, Hipkins said too much of childhood was being spent on screens while sport and hobbies were out of reach for many families.

“Technology has its place, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of childhood,” he said.

Labour education spokesperson Ginny Andersen said the party would build on expert recommendations made to the Government in 2024 and work with educators, health experts and young people to get the balance right in schools.