“Education Minister Jan Tinetti’s claim that delaying changes to school curriculums and NCEA assessments will lift literacy and numeracy rates is some of Labour’s most ridiculous spin yet, and that’s saying something,” says ACT’s Education spokesperson Chris Baillie.

“Tinetti is saying that by keeping the exact same conditions in place that have seen a steady decline in results, things will somehow improve. Does she think Kiwis are stupid?

“Not enough knowledge is being transferred to the next generation to maintain our status as a first world country. We all want the next generation to have every opportunity for success and to build a great life for themselves, by robbing them of a quality education children are less likely to get those opportunities.

“Labour has no ideas on education. This week they announced a class sizes target that is already trumped by truancy rates, previously they suggested making tests easier and letting kids use spellcheck, now this. It’s time for real change.

"If we want students to leave school well-equipped, and if we want to have a high-productivity, high-wage economy, we must restore basic educational standards so that students cannot avoid numeracy and literacy requirements. We need a return to standard tests which ask whether all students are getting the basic skills they need to succeed.

“Importantly, we can’t write off children from poorer households. If someone is born into a home with fewer resources, there should be a place in the community where they can go to get those skills.

“As soon as you have hard measurement about what kids know and can do, international tests show New Zealand students know less and can do less than overseas students. That’s the legacy of Labour and National’s misadventure with NCEA. It’s time for real change and only ACT can bring that change.

“The disconnect between bureaucrats at the Ministry and frontline education is growing larger. ACT would reduce the number of back office bureaucrats back to 2017 levels, freeing up $240 million a year that can go towards frontline education instead.

“High educational achievement has always been a priority for the ACT Party. That’s why we introduced Charter Schools, focussed on lifting the educational achievement of our most vulnerable kids.

“It’s time to put children back at the centre of education."

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