National Standards Report Exposes Fundamental Flaws

Media Release October 3 2012 – for immediate release

Attention: Education and Political Reporters

National Standards Report Exposes Fundamental Flaws

The Ministry’s latest report showing that 49% of writing assessments were marked incorrectly and the accuracy of maths assessment varied from 18% to 90% is clear evidence that there is something radically wrong with the national standards as an assessment instrument,’ said Paul Drummond, President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation.

‘If you can demonstrate such a high level of inaccuracy four years after the introduction of national standards there has to be something fundamentally wrong with them,’ says Drummond.

The national standards were introduced in 2008 before being tested or trialled, and were variously described as out-dated, unworkable, vague and wide open to interpretation. They are the most controversial education reform introduced in New Zealand in the last three decades.

‘National standards are part of a reform movement that is going against the tide of sound international best practice,’ says Drummond.

‘Whilst the rest of the world, including the United Nations, is placing education at the centre of progress and emphasising high trust, low assessment and high quality status for the teaching profession, New Zealand is heading in the exact opposite direction,’ said Drummond.

‘For us it’s a ‘back to the future’ approach,’ says Drummond. ‘We are returning to nineteenth century practices with the emphasis on the 3Rs and drilling kids to pass standards. Meanwhile, the enlightened world is teaching a twenty-first century curriculum based on problem solving, critical analysis, entrepreneurship and creativity because these are the skills kids in the twenty-first century need,’ he said.

ENDS

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