Government 'out of touch' on education needs

The Government is coming under fire from the education sector over its plan to introduce languages such as Mandarin, Korean and Spanish to the primary school curriculum.

Prime Minister Bill English launched the National Party’s election campaign in Auckland on Sunday, with a series of education policies — including a $160million commitment over four years, to give every primary pupil the chance to learn a second language.

Other parts of the policy package are aimed at improving the teaching of maths to primary schools, IT digital learning for senior secondary school pupils and extending national standards.

New Zealand Principals’ Federation president and Bathgate Park School principal Whetu Cormick said it was clear the Prime Minister had not been listening to his Minister of Education.

‘‘He is completely out of touch with the priorities facing schools.

‘‘National Standards have made no significant change to the achievement levels of priority learners since their introduction and that’s why the Government introduced them.

‘‘We have chronic teacher shortages and we are struggling to address the severe behaviour issues presented in our schools every day.’’

He said schools had the children of methamphetamine addicts, who had extreme behavioural challenges; young people from homes where poverty pervaded every aspect of their lives; and children with severe autism, mental health issues and other afflictions which required specialist support that many schools could not access.

‘‘For the Prime Minister to suggest that more National Standards, foreign languages in primary schools and specialist digital technology teachers are the most important priorities, shows a man completely out of touch with the realities facing schools today.

‘‘Clearly, right now, addressing special education and teacher shortages are far higher priorities than pouring millions into expanding the poor performing National Standards system and teaching primary children Korean or Mandarin,’’ he said.

Otago Primary Principals’ Association chairwoman Debbie Smith also believed the National Party was not listening to the education sector about the serious issues it was facing in 2017 and beyond.

Pressing immediate problems included a national shortage of teachers, overwhelming numbers of children needing extra support with learning needs, behavioural needs and social and emotional needs, as well as children arriving at school in dire family situations.’’

By continuing to implement and develop National Standards, the Government was only further inhibiting children’s progress.

She said many Otago schools were already providing opportunities for pupils to learn second languages.

Te reo was already a compulsory part of the curriculum, Mandarin was being taught in some Dunedin primary schools and sign language was also part of many school curriculums.

Labour’s education spokesman Chris Hipkins said he had considered how the initiative would work, and believed ‘‘the figures don’t add up’’.

‘‘Such a policy would require a language teacher in every primary school, or at least the equivalent resourcing across the country.

‘‘Assuming a salary of $60,000 and not accounting for any overheads or training, it would cost $117million per year to ensure every primary school had a fully qualified language teacher.’’
john.lewis@odt.co.nz