Petition over national education standards presented

National education standards will make students feel like failures, Wellington's Mount Cook School principal Sandra McCallum says.

They would also cause inequity and anxiety but not make any difference to student performance, she said at a protest on Parliament steps today.

The scheme was implemented by National this year amid opposition from some boards of trustees, school principals and unions.

The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), which is opposed to national standards, presented to Labour MP Trevor Mallard and Catherine Delahunty from the Greens a petition of 38,000 people which outlined concerns with national standards.

NZEI national executive member Frances Guy said she knew of a seven-year-old girl who had made 12 months progress in her reading ability already this year.

"She's made wonderful progress but these standards will label her as a failure."

NZEI president Frances Nelson said national standards were yet to be proven of being the best way to improve children's education.

She said they wanted the Government to take a deep breath and listen.

"Don't do this to us, do it with us."

Khandallah School board of trustees former chairman Bill Courtney said there was not widespread acceptance for the standards.

He had been through the training for their implementation but did not agree with them.

There was "a bit of a stand-off" between those who did not support standards and the Government.

"Both parties have to be talking to each other and at the moment I don't think they are.

"We want dialogue but we want listening first."

Mr Mallard said no matter how many times a pig was measured, it did not make it fatter.

"And it doesn't matter how many times you assess a kid unless that assessment is part of a proper formative process then that assessment will be a waste of time, a waste of energy and a cause of enormous stress."

He said he was already getting complaints about the types and structure of reports parents were getting about their children.

Ms Delahunty said league tables were for sports and labels were for jam jars.

The Government should start listening to principals, teachers and parents, she said.

Education Minister Anne Tolley said since national standards were introduced at the start of the year the vast majority of schools were getting on with the task of implementing them.

"It's time for this union (NZEI) to move on and support children, parents and teachers. I know parents are looking forward to the plain-language information they'll receive on their child's progress," she said.

"This is nothing more than a political protest and has nothing to do with children, just a union living in the past."