Education

September 2009 - National Standards

A major issue that the committee is continueing to monitor is the introduction from 2010 of National Standards in literacy and numeracy in primary schools. These have been developed by considering what literacy and numeracy skills students will need to succeed later, at NCEA Level 2.

Anne Tolley, Minister of Education, responding to a letter, assured that National Testing was not on the Government‘s agenda. Principal Federation members and teachers have serious concerns that testing will be used to create league tables comparing schools. They are also concerned that the Minister has said that there will not be a law change to prevent information about the standards being used to create league tables. Schools are currently implementing the revised curriculum and there is considerable concern that the process is too rushed to ensure a satisfactory outcome.

At Secondary level, an extensive review of NCEA is underway. Firstly, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has issued new internal assessment rules limiting further assessment of a standard to once a year, and only to all students and after additional teaching and learning has taken place. If a minor error has been made students can be offered one resubmission opportunity which allows them to change an answer before scripts are handed back and gone over with the class. Secondly, the Ministry of Education, in association with NZQA and national subject associations, is reviewing all curriculum-derived standards to ensure alignment with the New Zealand Curriculum (2007), and to address issues of credit parity and duplication.