The Otago and Southland Secondary Principals' Association is backing the release of an animated video clip which calls for an end to the "Political Ping-Pong" in education.
The video was launched by the Post Primary Teachers' Association at its annual conference in Wellington yesterday, and was aimed at ending the political point scoring in education.
"The way education policy is approached simulates a game of political ping-pong," PPTA president Robin Duff said.
"This clip illustrates in a concise and meaningful way the damage policy churn is doing to public education."
Mr Duff said the Government was too quick to take on the failed ideas of some countries, and should look to education systems in countries like Finland which were leading the world.
Short-sighted government policy and a lack of evidence-based decision making had eroded secondary education in New Zealand, he said.
"The Tomorrow's Schools policy broke our education system into separate, antonymous schools governed by boards. Schools once worked together for mutual benefit. Now they compete.
"Politicians in New Zealand need to put the bats down and give our young people the chance at success they deserve."
Otago and Southland Secondary Principals' Association chairman Philip Craigie said he had not seen the video, but believed its sentiment was a good one.
"The changes we go through - one party puts something in place that they think is a good idea, but another party gets into power and puts it down. It's like running from one side of the ship to the other all the time."
Mr Duff said as a result, governments were able to deny direct responsibility for the well-being of New Zealand's pupils.
The PPTA is calling for political parties to reach consensus on how to maintain and improve a world-leading education system, he said.
