Principals Applaud Demise of National Standards
The New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF) President, Whetu Cormick, is delighted at Labour's announcement that they
would scrap national standards if they become the Government in September.
'We never supported national standards for our young people and I'm thrilled to see Labour would get rid of them,' he
said.
The Labour party's education manifesto shifts the direction for education towards a quality public system.
'For the past ten years we have seen neo-liberal policies introduced here that follow the privatisation agenda of the
Global Reform Movement,' said Cormick.
'We don't need the privatisation agenda of the US or the UK where private charter and academy schools have replaced high
performing public schools and standardisation has reduced success rates,' he said.
'New Zealanders value individuality, supporting our strugglers and extending our bright young people through a rich
broad curriculum,' he said. 'Our young people are multi-talented, differently talented and come from a diverse range of
cultures. We welcome differences! Standardisation does not sit comfortably in our diverse nation,' he said
Cormick also welcomed Labour's policy to get rid of charter schools.
'No one called for private charter schools and they drain much needed resources for our public schools,' he said.
ENDS