National's revised Better Public Service target in writing and maths for Year 8 students shows National Standards have completely failed, says New Zealand First Spokesperson for Education Tracey Martin.

'New Zealand First has always been committed to the removal of National Standards and only now has the Labour Party decided to join us.

'It is clear National's 2009 cuts to specialist curriculum advisors in numeracy and literacy were a mistake.

'To maximise student achievement we need to start by reintroducing 100% trained, qualified and registered teachers in the Early Childhood Education sector.

'We then need to strengthen and widen the school entry assessment tools and practices that teachers and school leaders already use to identify students most at risk in literacy and numeracy.

'National has failed to provide ‘equity of opportunity' funding on a student-by-student basis.

'As part of New Zealand First's pledge to up-front investment in education, we would support students from the earliest opportunity so by the time they reach Year 8 they will be confident, capable and resilient learners,” says Mrs Martin.

New Zealand First will:

• Restore the requirement for all early childhood education providers to ensure that the 100% qualified and registered teacher staffing ratio is achieved.

• Abolish National Standards in their current form and work with the sector to establish robust assessment measures for individual students.

• Establish an early intervention staffing component for identified new entrants at risk in literacy and numeracy across all schools with initial priority being one full-time teaching equivalent for every U1 to U3 School.

• Work with the sector to develop funding and resourcing models to best meet the needs of all children, including digital resourcing for those learners challenged by dyslexia, dyspraxia, Asperger's and autism.

• Strengthen School entry Assessment tools and practices that teachers and school leaders use to identify those students most at risk in literacy and numeracy.

SOURCE: Office of Tracey Martin