Cold-hearted Response to Chch Schools over National Standard

Cold-hearted Response to Christchurch Schools over National Standards

The Government’s cold-hearted response to Christchurch schools over National Standards proves that it out of touch and continues to blindly ignore the serious concerns being raised, according to the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa.

School principals in Christchurch are saying National Standards are not a priority and they might not be able to implement them properly because of the earthquake.

The concerns they are raising with the Standards are actually being echoed in schools around the country, which do not even have the added burden of dealing with traumatised children and trying to get teaching and learning back on track,” says NZEI President Ian Leckie.

“We have a situation where schools are struggling to make sense of National Standards and have no confidence that they will raise student achievement. That is reflected in the fact that the vast majority have not sent in their charters to the Ministry of Education with their National Standards achievement targets as required.”

Another 300 school boards have also taken a public stand and said they will not use untried and untested Standards to set student achievement targets at all.

The Government’s response to the Christchurch schools is to tell them to get on with it and that the Standards are more important than ever.

Ian Leckie says “once again the Government is cold-heartedly failing to listen to the people at the chalkface. Not only should the Government call a halt to the implementation of National Standards in Christchurch, it should call a halt to them nationwide.”

ENDS

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