MEDIACOM-RELEASE-EDUCATION-FORUM
Speaking on behalf of the Education Forum, John Morris, Headmaster of Auckland Grammar School, today welcomed the
decision of the Education and Science Select Committee to launch an inquiry into the teaching of reading.
However, Mr Morris challenged the Committee to go further and to recommend refocusing primary education on the basics,
including reading, and the introduction of objective external assessment.
"Government briefing papers recently revealed that one quarter of adults, and three quarters of unemployed, had
substandard reading and writing skills. There is strong anecdotal evidence that significant numbers of students are
completing a full secondary education without achieving a satisfactory level of literacy and even universities are
increasingly offering what can only be described as remedial writing courses to under-graduates.
"Recent debate over the declining popularity of English as a subject amongst senior students has missed the point. The
real concern is that too many students in all subjects had not been adequately taught basic English skills at earlier
stages of their education. Remedial English at senior school levels, or at university, cannot substitute for good
English instruction at the primary level.
"I challenge the Committee to examine the present primary curriculum. Reading and writing skills, along with maths,
should be key elements. Also essential is objective assessment at this level. Without testing against national
standards, parents and teachers can never know how well students are learning to read and write."
ENDS...