An Education Review Office report on the Government’s Digital Technologies (DT) curriculum demonstrating over one-third of schools surveyed have no understanding of how to implement it is very concerning, National’s spokesperson for Education Nikki Kaye says.

“Only about half of respondents felt it was easy to locate content information. Of the remainder, 35 per cent found it difficult and 14 per cent had not even started looking.

“On the DT curriculum, one principal explained ‘We’ve missed out in the past; the process is onerous; haven’t tried again’.

“National is hugely committed to upskilling our young New Zealanders for the digital world. That’s why we invested over $40 million to support the uptake of digital technologies as a key part of the curriculum.

“There is clearly a professional learning and development (PLD) issue. One principal complained, ‘The PLD model puts up barriers to accessing PLD, the complicated process of applying makes it very difficult to get good-quality providers when we need them.’

“This is a government that has been more focussed on reviews than implementing core curriculum and as a result children are missing out.

“It is clear that the government has not provided adequate information to schools or professional development to ensure teachers are ready to deliver the digital curriculum.

“The Minister needs to urgently rectify this so schools can be equipped to ensure children are digitally fluent by next year. It is clear that the previous government’s target of mandating the digital technologies curriculum by 2020 is seriously at risk.”

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