Select Committee to Hear Deep Community Concern

Select Committee to Hear Deep Community Concern About National Standards

A petition representing the concerns of tens of thousands of New Zealanders about the government’s National Standards policy will go before parliament’s Education and Science Select Committee today. (Sept 22nd)

The petition was taken into the community by the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa earlier this year. It called on the Government to “Trial National Standards, not our Kids” and was signed by 38,000 people.

NZEI says the petition and the reasons for a trial still firmly stand. National Standards have been hastily developed and are not a proven way of raising student achievement. They take a one-size fits all approach and could label children as young as five as failures. Teachers, principals and increasing numbers of parents also know that they are unnecessary and will lead to misleading or inaccurate information about schools or children’s progress.

NZEI President Frances Nelson says the Standards are fundamentally flawed and that is becoming more evident as schools try and report against them.

“Principals, teachers and academics have expressed no confidence in the Standards and schools and parents remain confused. By not agreeing to a trial the government is using all New Zealand primary children as guinea pigs.”

“What we are asking is for the government to listen to what this petition represents – that is the voice of schools and communities. It’s not too late to put the Standards aside until they are properly assessed and proven as an effective tool for raising student achievement,” she says.

The petition will be presented to the committee by Frances Nelson and Bill Courtenay who is a father of two and a former board of trustees chairperson, supported by parents and school communities.

ENDS

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