21 October 1999
EDUCATION SHOULDN’T BE THE SUBJECT OF POLITICKING
“Why would principals not wish parents to be informed about the introduction of national tests for primary school
children?” said Simon Carlaw, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Manufacturers Federation. Mr Carlaw was speaking about
the decision of some primary school principals not to provide parents with a pamphlet prepared by the Ministry of
Education on the subject.
“We have an education system which is clearly failing too many young New Zealanders. It is certainly failing employers.
Difficulties with reading, writing and maths start at primary school. Why wait until later or expect employers to tackle
the problems.
“Of course it would not just be students who would be assessed. Equally it would be the system, and more to the point
the particular school and its teachers, whose performance would be measured.
“Maybe this is more the issue rather than whether a pamphlet written by a Government Department could be construed as
political propaganda.”
ENDS