Pillay Lynne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Pillay Lynne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6341] 
7.  
LYNNE PILLAY (NZ Labour—Waitakere) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What reports has he received of schools showing leadership and excellence in education? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Mountain View Primary School in Mangere was today named the 2002 Goodman Fielder School of the Year in recognition of the school’s leadership in seeking academic excellence and a quality learning environment for its pupils. This decile 1 school is an excellent example of a school making real progress in literacy and numeracy under real pressure. 
Lynne Pillay 
: What can other schools learn from the 2002 Goodman Fielder School of the Year? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: This school has achieved academic progress through a number of initiatives including research-based programmes and assessment tools focusing on literacy. It is focused on programmes in both Maori and English to maximise learning for its students. This school has displayed excellent financial management which has freed up resources for computers and other learning materials and specialist teaching. In short Mountain View Primary School is a model of what this Government is striving for in the education of our children. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: In stark contrast to that school’s achievement why in response to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study released in April this year—which showed that New Zealand was 13th in literacy and the second-lowest of English-speaking countries—did he say that those results were “very pleasing”; and would he if our All Blacks later in the year come 13th in the world cup also say that that was very pleasing; and by describing those results as “very pleasing” what sort of leadership in excellence is he showing? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member does not have responsibility for the second part of the question but he can answer the first part. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: The first part shows some confusion on the part of the member. What we do know is that this school would have its funding cut by about a total of $150000 if the National Party leader had his way. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked a question about New Zealand’s 13th ranking in an international literacy study and the Minister’s comment that: “these are very pleasing results”. I get an answer from the Minister that has absolutely no relation to that or any fact as a matter of National Party policy and I cannot see how that can be deemed an appropriate answer to the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thought the Minister said he did not agree with the member. That is a perfectly reasonable response. That is a debatable matter. 
Craig McNair 
: Can the Minister deny that there is emerging a core of schools and students who are underachieving such as two out of four colleges in the Rodney area in which I am based which has some of the highest suspension and stand-down rates in the country? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I think the word “emerging” is not the right word. We have had for some time a core of schools—some in low-decile areas and some in high-decile areas—where there has been systemic underachievement. For the last 4 years this Government has been working on that. We have made enormous progress in the suspension area. We have also made enormous progress in literacy in low-decile schools. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Has the Minister received any reports about schools that have been successfully introducing and promoting character education programmes; if he has received such reports what steps will he take to ensure that those programmes can be expanded—particularly since character education has been part of the curriculum since 1993? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: It is fair to say that the vast majority of successful schools have as their basis especially in the social studies and health areas values and character education courses and approaches. Some schools do it as a stand-alone subject using outside agencies to lead it; others have integrated it into the curriculum in a positive way. The latter is probably the best way of doing it. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek leave of the House to table the statement from the Minister that these literacy results are very pleasing results. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that statement. Is there any objection? There is.