Sometimes the Ministry of Education leaves me scratching my head. In fact, it often does. And when I heard this latest initiative I thought this is right up there.

The government wants to legislate for school-aged kids to enrol in online schools, if they so wish. So kids could, in essence, get their education over the web.

Schools and tertiary providers will be approved as online learning providers and while some will have a physical school where some attendance may be required, others won't.

It’s not home-schooling, as such. Instead, kids will have access to teachers and education providers online, in what the government calls an "community of online learning".

For me, kids need to go to school. They need to get up in the morning and get themselves to school in a structured learning environment.

It’s important for their education but it’s also important for their social development. It’s where they make friends. It's often where they get their first taste of team sport. It’s where some will develop their competitive instinct. They'll take part in plays and school productions. Some are lucky enough to learn to swim.

The school environment is important for parents too. I know from some of the conversations I have each day with other parents at pick-up - the school environment is vital for so many reasons.

So, the prospect of kids learning at home in physical isolation from school mates and teachers sounds like a social experiment to me. I can't see how it would possibly be in any child's best interests.

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But, I heard the minister of education speaking yesterday - Hekia Parata - and she said this is just about giving children and parents options. And initially that sounded like government spin to me. I can't see how this will be in any child's best interests. But when I began to dig down into this initiative in more depth, I've moved a little on it. I can see some merit in it.

There is already an online education option in place in this country and it's used largely by students who want to take subjects that aren’t offered at their schools, or who live remotely and can't easily access a school.

But for a small number of kids, the school environment is a challenge. The subjects and the curriculum don't meet their needs or don't engage them. In fact, the Ministry talked about children who've been disengaged from education for some time, and every option has been exhausted. So this online system could, they say, work for them.

In the end, it will come down to parents. Most know what's right for their children. Most know where their children are best placed for their education. And most would probably be horrified at the concept of having their kids home with them 24/7 getting their education on a desktop.

It's a bold step because reform like this doesn't come without risks and it doesn't come without its fair share of challenges. I can't shake the concern that an online education places children at great risk of becoming socially isolated. This will require considerable oversight and support from the Ministry, and that's a challenge in itself. Is the Ministry up to it?

But for the majority of Kiwi kids, there will be no change and this is purely what it says on the tin - it's an option.

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