Mallard’s Remarks Insulting - says Donnelly

‘Remarks by the Minister of Education are not only insulting to the MPs who worked on the review of the teaching of reading in NZ, it is also a denunciation of his own Ministry employees’, NZ First education spokesperson Brian Donnelly said today.

The subcommittee had extensive briefing by Ministry officials and had the person responsible for the delivery of the government’s Literacy Strategy as a permanent advisor. Members travelled to South Auckland and observed in action in the classroom the initiative Mr Mallard is using to demonstrate what his government is doing. We also spent two hours in intensive dialogue with the Auckland University Academics leading this initiative.

‘Mr Mallard is now on notice. The select committee report will be a reference point against which his Ministry will be judged. Where he claims that the current work programme will meet recommendations, he will be held to account that adequate resourcing and programming have been provided to make the right things happen’, said Mr Donnelly.

Brian Donnelly chaired the subcommittee of the education and science select committee which carried out the review.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>