Drop the standards – there’s a dumb idea

new-zealand-national-party

Thu Sep 04 2008 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Drop the standards – there’s a dumb idea

Thursday, 4 September 2008, 12:11 am
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Anne Tolley MP
National Party Education Spokeswoman

4 September 2008

A suggestion that NCEA Level 1 should be dumbed down has astounded National’s Education spokeswoman, Anne Tolley.

“At a time when one in five children leave school unable to read, write or do maths anywhere near their chronological age, this suggestion defies belief.

“Dropping NCEA’s Level 1 ‘pass’ point from 80 credits to 60 credits would be extraordinarily short-sighted.

“We want to raise education standards, not lower them. That is why National will test all students from the time they first enter school.

“This suggestion is an admission that younger children are not getting the help they need. If they were, there would be no need to drop the pass rate.

“This is one step away from ditching exams altogether. What future will our children face if they do not have an education that will equip them?

“Education is vitally important. Our children are already failing. Around 150,000 leave school without the skills to get themselves a decent job.

“The answer is not to drop the standards for these children, but to raise our expectations of them from the day they enter school.

“National intends to raise the bar, not lower it.”

ENDS

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