13th September 2011
For Immediate Release

Red flags over ‘National Standards’ and fast-track teaching in child poverty report

A report into child poverty raises even more red flags over the government’s controversial ‘National Standards’ policy and fast-track teaching programmes, according to the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa.

In its “Further Left Behind” report, the Child Poverty Action Group raises concern about recent educational policy which has the potential to reinforce or widen social inequity.

One of its key recommendations is that the government should acknowledge that international research suggests its National Standards policy may have perverse and damaging effects.

NZEI President Ian Leckie says the government continues to throw tens of millions of dollars into ‘National Standards’ which will do nothing to raise student achievement as they don’t take account of the social factors which impact on a child’s ability to learn.

“There is no consideration of the fact that the tail of underachievement mirrors the tail of poverty. ‘National Standards’ will simply reinforce that by labelling children while continuing to ignore fundamental social issues like poor housing or hunger”.

The report also recommends that the government look to avoid further damage being created by league tables of National Standards achievement.

“Schools, particularly those in low socio-economic areas, are very aware of the potential harm of league tables on their students and communities. That is where the real battle over National Standards is moving to,” says Mr Leckie.

Fast-track teaching programmes such as the Teach First New Zealand scheme also pose a danger in terms of quality teaching for children of the poor, according to the report.

Mr Leckie says “we need robust teacher training programmes which will not undermine the quality of teaching we need to help all our students achieve.

NZEI believes that to meaningfully address child poverty, a co-ordinated cross-party/cross-agency approach needs to be developed which formally audits the impact of government policy on children.

ENDS

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