United Future

Peter,
I know a person who is on a primary school Board and he tells me there is enough confusion and uncertainty to see that there is a problem with the National Standards. I am sure that there is a groundswell of support for changes to be may or even have the policy scrapped altogether. I will get a letter from that Board for you to highlight their concerns.

You'll need to be careful that the Boards aren't influenced by what they are being told by Teachers and Principals.

National Standards are a good idea. 20% of young school-leavers being illiterate and innumerate is part of the recipe of a disintegrating civil society. How can these people participate when they can't read forms, can't fill in applications, can't write CV's, can't apply for even the most manual of jobs? They can't, and therefore have no attachment to our communities. And that's when criminals, drug/alcohol addicts etc germinate and grow.

As a parent, a report that says my child is "progressing well" is useless. "Progressing well" in what way? At least with National Standards we can measure how they are against where they should be, and then act if they are slipping behind.

Implementation should go ahead because any delay will be stretched out as the opponents resist, hoping for a change of govt. BUT it is clear that communication could be improved. Ironic given some of the rubbish we have govt agencies communicating at us.

Well I am sitting here reading my step sons school report for year 13 and what a shocker! His mother kept him at school presumably so she could continue to collect working for families tax credits for him not to mention the ridiculous amount of child support that the current system deems as fair that was paid to her. Never checked on his days off as he has missed a total of 40 days in a year! That's 2 whole months! He can't spell, can't add, can't hold a decent conversation yet he has been accepted to go to AUT next year. Unbelieveable and I hope to god he gets a student allowance or else my husband will have to continue to fork out for his greedy mother and the lazy little toad. NCEA is a joke! Having had my eldest son attend University after getting UE and then his younger brother by 2 years in the 1st lot that completed NCEA. I have experienced both and there NEED to be changes. NCEA is political correctness gone wrong! Helen has stuffed this country and John has moved too far to the left now to be able to make a change. We are voting next year with our feet and leaving this archaic tax, school and child support system to the "rainbow mob". Shame when in your early 50's you don't want to hang around in gods own. Guess that's 2 less baby boomers for Gen Y to worry about...