Yesterday Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford announced that the government will invest $413 million to improve school infrastructure. No wonder senior school teachers have been offered salary increases below the rate of inflation and required to work greater hours. Shortly after the election National engaged in the usual shock and awe campaign, announced an inquiry into the cost of school construction projects and put a number of projects on hold. Schools with urgent needs and on the verge of starting building projects suddenly found these were on hold. This is clearly a backdown although National will try and present it as something else.