“Narrow and Shallow” National Standards Assessment

Trevor Mallard

Education Spokesperson

22 June 2010

Growing disappointment with “narrow and shallow” national standards assessments

Labour’s education spokesman Trevor Mallard says the Government would ignore at its peril the 37,000 signature petition on national standards presented to Parliament today.

The petition was delivered as more and more parents are expressing disappointment at the limitations of the assessment – as they receive the first batch of school of reports under the new system, Trevor Mallard said.

“The sheer number of signatures on this petition demonstrates the level of disquiet and concern among parents in New Zealand on what has been a rushed and badly under-resourced assessment system,” Trevor Mallard said.

“As education experts, teachers, principals, boards of trustees and parents up and down the country have been warning all along, National’s indecent haste in acting, in order to look as it was doing something, is creating unnecessary risks for Kiwi children.

“As parents are now receiving the first batch of reports under the new system, they are telling me how disappointed they are with the quality of information that is being provided.

“John Key and Anne Tolley told parents not to worry that assessments would be narrowed down to the basics of reading, writing and maths because this would be made up for by the depth of information provided on these subjects.

“Sadly, they have been sold short on this as well.

“Not only are the new assessments much more narrow in range, they are also much shallower in scope, parents say – denying them much needed feedback on their children’s progress.

“The whole primary and intermediate school system risks being dumbed down as National forces schools to implement a flawed and risky new assessment system,” Trevor Mallard said.

“Kiwi school children and their parents deserve much better. Take heed of this petition and the concern of parents, teachers and principals – and end this mess now Mrs Tolley.”

ENDS