2. SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What reports has he received on literacy improvements in our schools?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister for the Environment) Link to this
The most recent evaluation of the Labour-led Government’s Literacy Professional Development Project confirms very significant improvements in the reading and writing ability of the estimated 55,000 students whose teachers have been helped by the $15 million initiative. Students on the programme improve their reading and writing skills at approximately twice the normal rate, with the progress being made by the bottom 20 percent being about double that of the other students on the programme. It is a real case of a gap being closed.
What practical support to lift student achievement does the Literacy Professional Development Project provide?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
Since the inception of the Literacy Professional Development Project in 2004, it has worked with 4,412 teachers working in 391 schools. It is a 2-year programme, with professional development facilitators going into each school to teach the teachers how to use tools that are proven to raise literacy skills. It has been very successful to date. A new cohort of 1,124 teachers in 103 schools began the project in February. We are looking forward to seeing the excellent results from the first two cohorts being replicated again.
Anne TolleyWhy is this Government gloating about its achievements in improving literacy, when the results from last year’s National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) exams show quite the opposite—that, in fact, one in four students could not even meet the NCEA level 1 literacy requirement, which is a shameful record of failure after 9 long years of a Labour Government?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
When this Government came into office, 50 percent of students could not pass School Certificate English. If the member wants us to drop standards in the way that she is suggesting, in order to let students through, I can tell her that we will not take that approach. I also say to the member that her policy of exams for 6-year-olds just will not run with this Government.
I seek leave to table a document from the national qualifications framework school profile showing that one in four New Zealand students could not meet the level 1 literacy requirement.
Madam SPEAKER