Face of the Day

[Prime Minister Christopher Luxon] said the Government had received “shocking new data” on primary children’s achievement in maths last year, justifying the Government’s curriculum overhaul.

“Looking at kids who are about to go to high school, this data shows that just 22% of students are at the expected standard for maths at year eight. That means four out of five are falling behind,” Luxon said.

“And it gets worse: three out of five are more than a year behind. [...]

“We don’t have time to muck around here. We know what’s needed and what interventions are needed,” he said.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins, in response, said the year eight students described by Luxon had started school under the prior National Government’s system of national standards.

“That was a failure and we are still playing catch up,” he said, in a statement.