Dr Oliver Hartwich: Teacher unions’ ‘colonialism’ cry doesn’t reflect classroom reality

In just two school terms, something remarkable has happened in New Zealand’s primary classrooms. According to data from the Education Review Office, the proportion of students meeting curriculum expectations for phonics knowledge after 20 weeks of schooling has increased from 36 percent to 58 percent, with those exceeding expectations more than doubling.

Phonics knowledge is not itself reading, but it is an important first step. There is every reason to expect improvement to flow through to reading comprehension.

NZCPR Newsletter: Transforming Education

Education has been described as a passport to the future - as endless generations of New Zealanders can testify. Its transformational powers have the ability to pivot students from lives of disadvantage to futures of opportunity and prosperity.

That’s no doubt what was in the mind of Nelson Mandela, when he said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

But that’s also why extremists attempt to turn education into an indoctrination machine to radicalise children with their brand of social justice poison.

David Farrar: We do not have unlimited money

The usual suspects are up in arms because the Government diverted $30 million for teaching teachers te reo, to an initiative to teach students maths. This is the reality of government – you have to set priorities.

The Herald also notes: