A comprehensive report authored by Dr Michael Johnston offers a detailed analysis of the current challenges facing New
Zealand’s educational infrastructure.
Save our Schools: Solutions for New Zealand’s education crisis outlines a series of innovative proposals for reforming and revitalising New Zealand's education system, including
curriculum, assessment and qualification systems, initial teacher education, teacher career structure, teacher supply,
systems monitoring, and information provision to parents. It also recommends a review of the New Zealand Council for
Education Research (NZCER).
Dr Johnston says, “I believe the proposals outlined in this report have the potential to rescue New Zealand's ailing
school education system by addressing the many longstanding causes of its decline. Our aim is to create a system that
centres knowledge, supports teachers, and fosters a culture of innovation and excellence.” He adds, “It's time to
initiate a national dialogue on education reform and restore New Zealand’s schools to their former world-leading
status.”
These proposals represent a bold vision for the future of education in New Zealand, to ensure that young New Zealanders
receive the highest quality education possible. Dr Johnston hopes these recommendations will spark a national
conversation about the future of education in New Zealand and lead to meaningful change.
Some of the most significant proposals in the report include:Introducing a new, knowledge-rich curriculum centred on literacy, numeracy, and disciplinary subjects.Redesigning the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) to encourage more coherent teaching and reduce
superficial learning.Reforming initial teacher education (ITE) to focus on effective teaching methods based on the science of human
information processing, sound curriculum knowledge, and formative assessment literacy.Introducing a performance-based career structure for teachers, with promotions based on professional standards.Enabling schools to hire professionals without teaching qualifications and streamlining the process for hiring
international teachers.Expanding the National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA).Refocusing the core research function of the NZCER on large-scale quantitative, generalisable research on teaching and
learning.
This report, published by The New Zealand Initiative, presents a roadmap for creating a knowledge-rich education system
that attracts the best to teaching, prepares them well for the profession, and provides incentives to keep them.