New Zealand First education spokesperson, Hon Brian Donnelly, is attempting to broker an accord over assessment and
qualifications in senior secondary schooling.
“The pros and cons of exams versus unit standards have been debated endlessly. Teachers, parents and employers
desperately need some certainty in the direction policy is going in this critical area of education. The last thing
educationalists need is for this issue to be used as a political football.
I have written to the education spokespeople from each of the parties asking that they commit their parties to
maintaining the move towards Assessment 2001. Even though they may wish to change some of the details such as timing the
weighting of external and internal assessment, it is imperative that the basic direction is maintained.
“The education spokespeople I have spoken to have agreed verbally to the initiative.”
ENDS