Kelvin Davis
Associate Education spokesperson

22 January 2011 Media Statement

Anne Tolley unfit to lead education sector

Education Minister Anne Tolley has proven beyond any reasonable doubt she is unfit to lead New Zealand's education system, says Labour’s Associate Education spokesperson Kelvin Davis.

"Her acceptance of Auckland Grammar’s decision to implement the Cambridge system absolutely undermines NCEA and labels it a second rate system fit for 'weaker' students. Her reasoning is ignorant at best, negligent at worst.

“Her suggestion that Auckland Grammar principal John Morris might be ‘way ahead’ of others is an open invitation to all secondary schools to follow suit. This will create a snowball effect where other schools feel they must also implement the Cambridge system or we will end up with a two-tiered and elitist education system.

"No two systems will be able to fill the same niche without detriment to one or the other. It should either be NCEA or Cambridge.

“The Minister claims she is not knocking NCEA by supporting Auckland Grammar’s decision. But then she goes on to say our students must be competitive internationally and 'Cambridge does that'. That implies NCEA is not internationally competitive. So not only is she knocking NCEA, she is signalling its death knell.

“Anne Tolley might as well now accept the suggestion by Auckland Grammar that NCEA is an option for weaker students, because over time that’s exactly how it will be perceived – if that damage to its reputation hasn’t already been done.

“How many parents and students are going to risk the stigma of being labelled 'weaker' by sitting NCEA? Students will prefer to leave school than risk that embarrassment in front of their peers. Schools will also not want to risk being labelled weaker because they offer NCEA.

“Anne Tolley has asked ‘where's the harm?’. She seems blissfully unaware that she risks creating weaker ghetto schools, or worse increasing the number of students leaving school without a qualification.

“It is ridiculous to support the notion that only the Cambridge system can create competition and the kind of conditions that boys thrive in. If Anne Tolley believes it is the exam system that ‘focuses the boys' minds', grabs their attention and makes them do well, she lives in a dream world.

"Excellent teachers understand that they focus students' minds, the learning activities they provide grab students' attention and they are the ones who provide the challenge on a day to day basis, not an exam sat at the end of the year.

Anne Tolley's ignorance is highlighted by her comment: "I just don't think it's a problem if a few schools just want to stretch a particular group of students."

“It is the responsibility of all schools to stretch all students as far and as fast as possible. As the Minister she is responsible for developing the New Zealand education system to achieve that.”

ends

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