Principals across Otago have collectively sighed with relief as the new Labour-led Government indicates it will axe National Standards for primary schools and reduce the amount of assessment for secondary schools.
Otago Secondary Principals' Association secretary Gordon Wilson said it was an exciting time for the education sector.
''We certainly await with interest more detail about exactly what the incoming Government is going to do.
''The idea that students shouldn't necessarily present for NCEA at all three levels is something I'm sure schools will see merit in.
''We have started, as a country, to over-assess and under-teach our young people, so a movement away from that will be beneficial.''
Rather than a pupil sitting NCEA level 1 in year 11, level 2 in year 12, and level 3 in year 13, he said a pupil could spend years 11 and 12 achieving credits for NCEA level 2, or more advanced pupils could sit level 2 in year 11, then spend year 12 and 13 achieving credits for NCEA level 3.
''NCEA has that flexibility. That's what NCEA was all about when it was introduced.
''There's various ways of working it. It's a matter of working through what is best for each individual person.
''It will take a while to settle in, but in time it would create a more flexible senior school.''
He said changes would have implications for schools, like timetabling and staffing issues, but having three consecutive years of assessment and qualifications was ''unnecessary''.
''We can create the flexibility, but we've got to have the qualified staff to teach.
''At the moment, that is becoming a real issue in secondary schools throughout the country - not just in Auckland or rural areas.
''The big issue the incoming Government needs to deal with is teacher supply.''
Otago Primary Principals' Association chairwoman and Musselburgh School principal Debbie Smith said primary principals were ''very excited'' to hear National Standards would be dropped.
''We've got big smiles on our faces.
''It would be fair to say there's a sense of relief among principals, and a sense of optimism and excitement about how we can widen our use of the New Zealand curriculum as it was supposed to be used.''
She said National Standards constantly tested primary school pupils rather than looking at the progress they were making.
''National Standards gave them a band of time in which to obtain benchmarks. But all children learn at different rates.
''Even though they were making progress, they may not have met the National Standards, so they were classed as failures by the system.
''It wasn't actually helping the children's self-esteem - that's the part that really upset me more than anything.''
She said she had heard some parents were concerned they may not be able to find out whether their children were making the right progress if National Standards were abolished.
''But that's simply not true.
''We talk to parents all the time about their children's progress.
''It's just going to be broader - the children will have more time to reach those benchmarks.''
She said National Standards focused on only reading, writing and maths.
''The other areas of learning, such as technology, social sciences, the sciences and the arts were not being used as much, and they provide a perfect opportunity to teach reading, writing and maths.
''Broadening the curriculum is going to give more opportunity for kids to problem-solve and to be creative.
''It will give them a wider education.''
