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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announces maths reforms at National Party conference

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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announces maths reforms at National Party conference

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The results come from the Curriculum Insights and Progression Study (CIPS), which Luxon said showed only 22 per cent of Year 8 students in New Zealand met the maths benchmark.

Luxon said only 12 per cent of Maori students were progressing at the level they should, while 63 per cent of all year 8 students were more than a year behind in their studies.

“It is abhorrent to me that, through the failure to use assessments correctly, the true extent of failures is obscured and the interventions needed are not happening.

“These numbers are shocking, but I think they’re not surprising to the many parents I know who are frustrated and disappointed with their children’s progress,” Luxon said.

This means that a structured mathematical approach will work in parallel with a shift towards structured literacy.

Education Secretary Erica Stanford will launch the first of three parts of “Make It Count” — a math action plan that will take effect early next year.

Mr Stanford said this meant that from term one next year “children will be studying a new world-leading, knowledge-rich mathematics curriculum based on the best curricula from OECD countries such as Singapore and Australia, adapted for New Zealand”.

“The expectations for what children must learn each year will be clearly set out so parents will know exactly what their children will be learning from next year.”

She said teachers would receive about $20 million in maths professional development funding, as well as teacher guides and student workbooks. She said she was pleased the teaching council had now agreed any future teacher would have to achieve at least NCEA level 2 in maths.

The government will also take action for pupils whose performance is seriously behind the curriculum. These students will be identified from the government’s required standardised assessments in primary school maths, which will also start in early 2025.

governmental Latest Action Plan The bill contains a number of initiatives in education, including a second phase of anti-truancy measures, draft new English and maths curriculum sections, new structured literacy interventions for pupils with reading difficulties, and decisions based on the findings of the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property.

Stanford The survey was established in March this yearIt also pointed out that projects announced by previous governments had been plagued by delays and cost overruns.

Stanford spoke at the conference this morning, elaborating on Key priority areas Work towards improving student outcomes – including curriculum, structured literacy, clearer reporting, assessments, and data and evidence.

She detailed changes that have been made, such as a ban on mobile phones, structured literacy education and curriculum reform.

“We have no time to lose. New Zealand’s student performance has been declining.”

Luxon promised in his speech that he would turn around New Zealand’s achievement levels.

He claimed it was due to Wellington’s “bureaucracy” and “curriculum ambiguity”.

He said he didn’t blame the teachers or the school, the children or the parents.

“While there is political satisfaction in shifting the blame onto others — and they certainly aren’t doing anything to help — this issue is bigger than politics.

“It’s the product of years of drift and decay in a system that has completely strayed away from the values ​​that all of us in this room care about: achievement, opportunity and success.

“Now is the time for us to work together to turn these statistics around. I stand before you today as Prime Minister and I promise you that now is the time for change. The systems must change. The outcomes must change. And we will achieve that change.”

Keep an eye on law and order

Luxon also used his speech to offer an unapologetic defence of National’s approach to law and order.

He said he had no qualms about “ending the era of lawlessness ushered in by Labor and the Greens” and took aim at critics who said a tough approach on sentencing or boot camps might not have the desired effect.

“New Zealanders have a right to feel safe. That right outweighs any interest in releasing violent and persistent criminals early to continue to victimise our communities.

“I’m tired of being told that the real victims are the ones breaking into stores, peddling meth or brutally attacking working parents in the middle of the night. That’s complete bullshit.”

He said he understood some people were struggling and National would push for social investment to address that.

“But don’t tell me the people wielding knives or trashing jewelry stores are the real victims. And don’t tell me the answer is to let them return to the streets to continue causing violence, fear and pain.”

Earlier This meetingAttorney-General Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell held a panel discussion at the conference on law and order – one of National’s key campaign areas.

Goldsmith said he hopes the changes to the three-strikes law are enough to ensure it won’t be repealed again if there’s a change in government.

Attorney-General Paul Goldsmith attends the National Party conference with Police Minister Mark Mitchell and National MP James Meager (left) at the Due Drop Event Centre in Manukau. Photo/Claire Trevett
Attorney-General Paul Goldsmith attends the National Party conference with Police Minister Mark Mitchell and National MP James Meager (left) at the Due Drop Event Centre in Manukau. Photo/Claire Trevett

Mr Goldsmith said the bill was designed to deal with the worst repeat offenders “and keep them out of prison for longer”. He said the eligible offences under the first three-strikes rule, which was abolished by Labour, were so broad that two years in prison was made the standard in recent legislation.

He said he hopes to ensure that sentencing is not repealed with every change of government and becomes a lasting part of sentencing law by changing the criteria so that lower-level crimes are no longer eligible for sentencing.

Mitchell opened the show by showing a video of a police officer running over a Comanchero motorcycle.

He told party members one of his priorities was working to make the central business districts of big cities safer – the latest move being more police patrolling the Auckland CBD. He said they were still working on getting police a physical base in the city centre but the increased visibility of officers was helping to alleviate problems.

“(Now) there’s more of a presence and more assurance and we’re also starting to address a lot of the social issues that are arising in the CBD.”

He said he held monthly meetings with Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, major retail groups, police, Oranga Tamariki and Kāinga Ora to try to address social issues in the Auckland CBD.

Mitchell said his other priority is correctional officers, saying he had suggested they change their marketing campaign and since then, 20,000 people have expressed interest. He said the current recruitment of new correctional officers is 350-400 higher than the attrition rate.

Claire Trevett is the New Zealand Herald’s Political Editor, based in Wellington Parliament. She started working at the New Zealand Herald in 2003 and joined the News Gallery team in 2007.

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