education

Categories under education

National standards nonsense

Written By: - Date published: 9:53 am, June 12th, 2013 - 34 comments

If there was a national standard in scientific method than the right wing spinsters talking up yesterday’s national standards results would all fail it.

The policing of women’s bodies

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, June 6th, 2013 - 116 comments

(Socialist) feminism seems to be on the rise internationally, exposing how threats to “old boys” corporate-aligned power are countered by policing women’s bodies. Sue Bradford highlights the contradiction between Owen Glenn’s paternalistic corporate capitalism and the feminist-aligned participants in his Inquiry. Jan Logie addresses the gender pay gap.

Charter schools have no future

Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, June 5th, 2013 - 68 comments

The charter schools legislation passed its final reading last night. Labour and the Greens declare that charter schools have no future in this country…

Christchurch schools for sale

Written By: - Date published: 10:32 am, June 4th, 2013 - 17 comments

Recently closed Christchurch schools, which according to the Nats don’t have the student base and/or are too quake damaged to keep running, are going to be sold off for purposes including – charter schools.

Nats split on food in schools?

Written By: - Date published: 6:40 am, May 29th, 2013 - 87 comments

Does food in schools show up a split in National between the hardline conservatives who would leave kids hungry in the name of parental responsibility, and pragmatists who will swallow a dead rat every now and again in an attempt to stay popular?

Better than nothing

Written By: - Date published: 12:44 pm, May 28th, 2013 - 156 comments

The government’s expansion of the KickStart breakfast programme is better than nothing – but that’s about all you can say about it.

Priorities: $9.5 Million over 5 years to feed hungry kids – but in 2012 just 4 private schools got $10.9 Million.

Note to John Key and David Shearer

Written By: - Date published: 7:29 am, May 28th, 2013 - 89 comments

John Key and David Shearer have made similar (inaccurate) statements about who has  ultimate responsibility for feeding the kids.

Lining up for charter schools

Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, May 23rd, 2013 - 34 comments

The PPTA has published a list of organisations that have expressed an interest in setting up charter schools, almost half of them religious groups, some of them with rather fringe beliefs. Do we really want scarce state education funding being used to teach creationism?

NRT: National’s “innovation” agenda

Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, May 19th, 2013 - 65 comments

No Right Turn on National’s science funding scam. Read it in conjunction with this piece in Stuff today on falling numbers of senior students following National’s axing of the postgrad student allowance. Welcome to the Brighter Future.

‘That’s what the fuss is all about’

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, May 16th, 2013 - 22 comments

Hone Harawira challenged the Maori Party for its support of charter schools, at the expense of Maori and public education. He challenged Sharples to resign if today’s budget fails to adequately support kura kaupapa and the Manaaki Tauira programme.

Budget: corporate “charity” not the solution to Feeding the Kids

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, May 15th, 2013 - 24 comments

Thursday’s budget is likely to make businesses central to blunting the edge of child poverty.  Campbell Live is concerned about the marginalisation of skilled community organisations.  Harawira has delayed the reading of his Feed the Kids Bill & argues for the state to play a stronger role.

The neoliberalisation of Universities

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, May 12th, 2013 - 43 comments

An article in today’s Sunday Star Times, provides evidence of an organised business in providing students with assignments for their tertiary education courses.  The focus is on Chinese ethnicity.  Ultimately, the blame for such rorts lies with the neoliberalisation of universities: the undermining of the critical endeavour of education.

Dunne abandons charter schools

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, April 19th, 2013 - 33 comments

Peter Dunne is concerned about the use of unqualified teachers in charter schools. As well he should be – the Ministry of Education has issued a detailed warning against this daft policy.

Stand up for kids

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, April 13th, 2013 - 4 comments

Stand up for kids is “a campaign for parents, families, teachers and other educators who all want the best for our children”. They are holding street marches in centers all round NZ today.

Punitive, anti-beneficiary Bill- opposition needed!

Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, March 20th, 2013 - 48 comments

The Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill second reading is first up on the provisional order paper for today. It is a further step in Paula Bennett & NAct’s vicious, punitive, bennie-bashing campaign. MPs are urged to vote against it!

Selling out our education

Written By: - Date published: 1:54 pm, March 19th, 2013 - 35 comments

Profit-driven private sector cowboys are damaging the reputation of our education system. Naturally, National wants to make matters worse by subsidising foreign owners of profit-driven charter schools. Brilliant.

Novopay: debt collection

Written By: - Date published: 11:09 am, March 13th, 2013 - 26 comments

Apparently quite a few teachers got tempted from the fold and voted for John Key in 2008… it’s hard to imagine many of them wanting to do so after the Novopay debacle. But Novopay seem determined to make sure of it. Not content with failing to pay large numbers of teachers, it’s now persecuting those it overpaid, even when they give the money back.

$425,000 for scapegoat

Written By: - Date published: 5:51 pm, March 5th, 2013 - 18 comments

That’s how much we’re paying for Lesley Longstone‘s being forced to resign on 19 December last year, hidden in the Christmas rush. At the time Hekia couldn’t comment because she was going on holiday, was on holiday, was just back from holiday, was busy with Christchurch f%#k-ups, was busy with Novopay f%#k-ups… now she can’t […]

Novopain protest Tuesday!

Written By: - Date published: 8:37 pm, March 4th, 2013 - 18 comments

Nationwide protest against the Novopay fiasco tomorrow Tuesday (early!). Check here for details of a protest near you…

“Minister for Small Things”

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, March 1st, 2013 - 51 comments

Yesterday, David Cunliffe,on Peter Dunne’s Student Loan Amendment Bill, & the related inter-generational swindle, labelled Dunne as “Minister for Small Changes” & “for Small Things”. Dunne further showed his support of the “neoliberal” swindle, with a couple of tweets on non-residents buying NZ property, smearing the Greens as racist.

Pariah Parata

Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, February 26th, 2013 - 20 comments

I’m starting to feel sorry for Hekia Parata. In his column yesterday Armstrong referred to her as “something of a pariah figure” in the education portfolio.

Back to basics

Written By: - Date published: 12:24 pm, February 24th, 2013 - 15 comments

Looks like we’re in for another round of nonsense in mathematics education from a bunch of politicians who know more about their own prejudices than they do about teaching and learning.

Sorry seems to be the hardest word

Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, February 20th, 2013 - 23 comments

Hekia Parata is in deep trouble. She has even resorted to grudgingly forcing the word “sorry” from her lips. But it isn’t even close to the apology that is needed…

Christchurch kids as political pawns

Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, February 19th, 2013 - 39 comments

Looks like Parata has been shafted by Key – her written promises to Christchurch schools will not be honoured. Instead it seems that Christchurch kids are being used as pawns in National’s electoral maneuverings.

Parata and the Christchurch schools

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, February 18th, 2013 - 73 comments

As widely reported, Chirstchurch schools find out their fate today. The damaged Hekia Parata was the wrong person to front this process…

“There is Power in a Union”

Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, February 18th, 2013 - 80 comments

Unions have been under concerted attack for several decades. Though weakened, they still produce results for workers. NZ Teachers’ Unions act on sound research, aiming to provide a quality and fair education system for all Kiwis. Global federations are campaigning against anti-worker corporates, like DHL.

NRT: Unconstitutional and dangerous

Written By: - Date published: 10:29 am, February 15th, 2013 - 8 comments

I/S at No Right turn writes on the Ombudsman’s report which finds some of the Nats’ plans for charter schools to be unconstitutional and dangerous.

Government report card: poverty, jobs, housing – FAIL!

Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, February 13th, 2013 - 22 comments

The Salavation Army “State of the Nation” report is out today, and, as Metiria Turei says, it makes depressing reading.  It describes a nation of increasing inequalities, with those on low incomes, and their children, being hit particularly hard.

Novopay going from bad to worse

Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, February 7th, 2013 - 103 comments

Mr Fixit Steven Joyce has been handed the Novopay fiasco, and the first pay round under his watch is the worst yet. Teachers are currently owed almost $12 Million in missing wages. Is this a conspiracy, or just a good old fashioned cock up?

Key’s ‘big’ new policy

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, January 28th, 2013 - 83 comments

Reboot apprenticeships in context

Action: Stop Charter Schools

Written By: - Date published: 2:02 pm, January 21st, 2013 - 91 comments

The chance to submit your opposition to Charter Schools closes this Thursday 24 January. An easy submission form has been set up, or you can follow how to make your own more detailed submission.