Principals' Council Has Dubious Principles

"The PPTA Principals' Council have a serious credibility problem with their resounding support for the NCEA qualification standard," said Libertarianz Spokesman for Education Deregulation Peter Osborne today.

"Given the constant flow of negative feedback from many quarters since the inception of the NCEA, I find the Council's comments very dubious to say the least." Osborne explains, "We have heard rumblings from students, parents, teachers and in fact principals, many of whom are very unhappy with it for various reasons."

He asks, "This being the case, how is it that one or two Nanny bum lickers can come out with a broad statement and then expect the rest of us to accept that they are speaking for all school principals? Quite frankly I smell a rat. I doubt very much that the Principals' Council is representing their colleagues. It sounds to me more like a directive from the Ministry of Education."

Mr Osborne continues, "This is obviously a case of damage control following the Cambridge High School debacle which in itself exposes this system for what it is and how it can be abused. The government's inability to police their own directives effectively and efficiently must also be recognised."

Osborne concludes, "The education industry must free itself from the State as a matter of urgency. Qualifications of any real value could only ever be formulated in a free and competitive market. Competition is the impetus for improvement and this would be determined by the demands of students, parents and the workplace. This would also make a refreshing change from our current factory model where total control is in the hands of politicians and bureaucrats.

Libertarianz will do away with the NZQA and the thought police at the Ministry of Education. This would free every New Zealander from a debilitating tax burden. They will then be FREE to pay for whatever education they see fit and strive to achieve whatever qualifications they feel will enhance their lives. Government mouthpieces such as the Principals Council would be laughed out of town."

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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>>