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Labour’s education spokesperson says the narrow focus on reading, writing and maths promoted by the Government’s National Standards will be bad for Maori learners.
The first data coming from the new testing regime shows Maori lagging non-Maori achievement, with Education Minister Hekia Parata saying it will allow the government to target those who are behind much earlier and give them the help they need.
But Nanaia Mahuta says Ms Parata’s reforms are out of step with best practice internationally.
“The education system has to cater for diverse learners and not be focused solely on reading, writing and math as a sole measure of success, you’ve got to include culture, language and identity in a global education community and also in New Zealand because our classrooms are more diverse than they’ve ever been,” she says.
Ms Mahuta says Maori and Pacific people aren’t problems to be fixed, but they do need different approached to education.
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