8. Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
When she said yesterday that “This is a bedding-in year for the Standards and feedback from parents is vital”, did she include the feedback from the more than 37,000 New Zealanders who have signed a petition expressing deep concern with the Government’s national standards policy?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) Link to this
Yes. I am always happy to receive feedback from parents about national standards. I note, however, that the union that organised that petition has a long history of opposition to the standards and of spreading misinformation. But I say to the member that I will take those 37,000 unionists and I will raise him the 1,050,000 New Zealanders who voted for a National Government to introduce national standards in reading, writing, and maths.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
When she said that from the beginning of 2011 some additional funding would be available to support students at primary and intermediate schools who are not meeting national standards, did she mean that additional funding will go to all students who are not meeting national standards via their schools, or only to the schools that are not meeting the national standards overall?
I have not said anything about that extra $36 million going specifically to schools as yet. The most important thing about the national standards is what the next steps are, and we are working on that now.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I would like to quote from a letter from the Minister and then table it. The letter states—
Mr SPEAKERHon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I seek leave to table a letter from the Minister that states: “From the beginning of 2011 some additional funding will be available to support primary and intermediate students who are not meeting the national standards.”
The member is seeking leave to table a document. He is describing the document from the Minister. Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Can she, therefore, confirm that extra funding will be available next year for all students who are below or well below national standards?
I can confirm that in the Budget $36 million is available from the beginning of next year, over the next 4 years, to address the national standards.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I deliberately made it a very specific, very detailed question. I asked whether the Minister can confirm that it will be available—
I accept the member’s point. His question was commendably to the point. But I think it is fair to say that the Minister answered it in a way that makes it fully clear that those decisions have not been made yet. That is the clear impression I got from the Minister’s answer.
Allan PeacheyPrincipals and teachers throughout the country are getting on with the job of providing good-quality information to parents about their child’s progress. One email from a practitioner stated: “We have now completed our first written reports to parents using the national standards. Feedback has been positive, along with our face-to-face parent interviews. I also believe that for the first time in my years as principal, we are now seeing much more focused reports to parents being made about progress, because the standards require a sound judgment in reading, writing, and maths.”
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Why is the Minister prepared to tell a parent that money will be available for students, but she is not prepared to tell this House that?
That is ridiculous. The Budget quite clearly shows that $36 million is available to address the national standards. I have been at public meetings around the country saying that $36 million is available from the beginning of next year to address the national standards. It is no secret. The details of how that money will be spent have not yet been published.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
When she stated: “This is a bedding-in year for the Standards …”, was she accepting the statement of the over 37,000 New Zealanders who asked her to trial the standards, and the statement from her key adviser on the standards, John Hattie, that if she cannot convince the vast majority of teachers that her national standards will lead to improved literacy and numeracy, they will be abandoned?