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Aotearoa Education Collective Response To APPA Survey On Literacy And Numeracy
Spokespersons for the Aotearoa Education Collective say that there is nothing surprising in the results of recent research undertaken by the Auckland Primary Principal Association.
Lynda Stuart, Principal of May Road School says, “The idea the National Party is promoting that schools aren’t already focused on lifting student success in reading writing. and mathematics is clearly wrong and deliberately misleading.” She says the survey confirms that the real crisis the National Party needed to focus on was supporting schools with the large and growing number of students with multiple needs. Stephen Lethbridge, Former President of the APPA and Principal of Point Chevalier School said the survey revealed The National Party is out of touch with the real problems facing education and were offering nothing of substance to tackle serious issues on learning support and teacher shortages.
Peter O’Connor, Professor of Education at the University of Auckland says, “I was always underwhelmed by the proposal for mandated teaching hours and I’m not surprised that the survey shows schools are already focusing on the basics of reading, writing and maths”. He adds that principals and teachers were appropriately making professional judgements about the strengths and needs of their students in determining how they did that.
O’Connor says the National Party policy was far removed from the reality of teaching and learning in New Zealand schools. He says, “it is a genuine shame that 6 years in opposition hasn’t taught the party anything about what the real issues and priorities are for principals and teachers. It certainly isn’t mandated hours, or cell phone bans.”
He suggests perhaps its time the National Party fronted up with its real proposals for the education sector as part of their deal with The ACT party. If it is true that David Seymour will be the next Minister of Education then the real agenda for change will be more than banned cell phones and mandated literacy hours
The Aotearoa Education Collective is a group of senior education academics and school leaders intent on providing commentary on education issues in the lead up to the election.
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