Lawyer and academic Noel Pearson has laid down the law to education bureaucrats: drop the “progressiveness” and go back to what we know works. I disagree with Noel Pearson about many things, “Indigenous Voice” especially, but his challenge to education bureaucrats is right on the money. Noel Pearson has issued
David Seymour ACT Leader The Government must explain why a new education programme is teaching the idea that white supremacy exists in our education system. We need to debate and discuss issues around race and inequality in this country. But covertly adding concepts like ‘white supremacy’ to the curriculum is
David Seymour ACT Leader Jacinda Ardern’s credibility in denying that ‘white privilege’ is being taught in the education system has taken another hit. Newstalk ZB has been leaked audio of educator Dr Michelle Johansson preaching about ‘white privilege’ at a teacher only day. We know that children are having
It is right to have important conversations around inequities, but it is wrong to peddle crude, simplistic, stereotypes imported from America which are more divisive than constructive, National’s Education spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says. “Teachers are being shown videos that instruct them to list their ‘privileges’ and view their students
Susan Short Secretary democracyaction.org.nz This brief article is to remind you that the opportunity to have a say on the Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories in the New Zealand Curriculum runs out in six days’ time. Consultation closes on Monday 31 May. For those who have already made
In illuminating the lie at the core of our proposed new school ‘history’ curriculum: “It is clear that Maori did not cede their mana to the Crown, and that they signed in the belief that it would give them power to govern in partnership with the Governor” We saw that
Free Press ACT Party The Haps More than 500 people, six months after an election. ACT’s annual rally Honest Conversations was huge. The party launched new future-focused policies for democracy and education. They have been widely reported and you can read about them here and here. The Policies Nothing
David Seymour ACT Leader The fact that the Prime Minister doesn’t know that white privilege is a core part of a new education programme being used across the country shows a Government in la la land. Jacinda Ardern told media this morning that the words ‘white privilege’ aren’t
Rather than abandoning social obligations on beneficiaries to send their children to school, we should be enforcing those requirements especially at a time when New Zealand is facing a truancy crisis, National’s Education spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says. “There has been an increase in the number of students not enrolled
David Seymour ACT Leader Certain vocal principals’ responses to ACT policy this morning shows exactly why teacher pay and conditions, and student test scores, have declined under their leadership. Yesterday, ACT announced it would raise standards for teachers to re-register, including meeting higher standards in maths, English and science. We
David Seymour ACT Leader The ACT Party is calling for higher standards for our teachers when renewing their practicing certificates. Across all of the standardised international measures, PISA, PIRLS, and TIMSS, New Zealand students are in a sustained decline. Students today are learning less than they were 10 years ago.
Parents and teachers will be disappointed that in a Budget with about $15 billion worth of new spending, so little was devoted to pressing challenges in education, National’s Education spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says. “While a little bit of help was promised for Alternative Education and intensive support for children
Judy Maynard aijac.org.au In a step hailed as “unprecedented”, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been censured by the European Parliament (EP) for the use of school textbooks that contain hate speech and incitement to violence. The European
Chris Baillie ACT Education spokesperson and former teacher The Government’s New Zealand history curriculum threatens to indoctrinate students in left-wing ideas and requires a radical overhaul. The draft New Zealand history curriculum, which is out for consultation until 31 May, requires students to learn a narrow set of highly
