Weaknesses in the System

The report does not pretend that New Zealand's education system is without fault. If I have highlighted the positive findings and tended to gloss over the negative ones it is because in regard to the crucial question of declining standards of the "basics" in schools, the findings are quite conclusive. Standards are not always improving as one might hope, but they are certainly not dropping. In the areas of reading and mathematics, considerable advances are claimed to have been made.

Education Minister Les Gandar has identified "four main messages" in the report. Firstly, that standards are being maintained despite many changes and influences that make it difficult for teachers to keep pace, let alone improve the situation. Secondly, that less able students are not being catered for as well as others. Thirdly, that schools cannot be held solely responsible for failure and low achievement. Fourthly, that significant increases in expenditure wall be needed if problems of low attainment are to be overcome.

The Director General of Education, Bill Renwick, has noted five areas for improvement. In addition to Gandar's fourth point, he lists: better balance between teaching for understanding and regular review and practice of skills; more training of school staff in organisational skills; more attention for cultural minorities; and more publicity in the school system for work of a good standard. Renwick also states that the coming years will see a slower rate of development than any time in the last 20 years, as innovations are consolidated and methods of teaching are improved.