Mackey Moana: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Mackey Moana: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:633;Page:4537] 
1. MOANA MACKEY (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What is the Government doing to ensure all schools are providing students with the knowledge values and competencies they need to succeed in a 21st century economy? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Yesterday the Labour-led Government launched a draft curriculum for New Zealand’s schools which is in my hand. The document which was warmly welcomed by the education sector provides a clear and simple statement of what is required of students in the 21st century. The new curriculum will ensure that the diverse range of students in New Zealand classrooms have the opportunities they need to achieve their full potential. Over the next few months there will be an opportunity for all New Zealanders to debate and discuss this important document. I hope they will take the chance to do exactly that. 
Moana Mackey 
: What is the Government doing to ensure that students are able to speak a wider variety of languages that better reflect the growing diversity of New Zealand’s communities? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: There are a number of new features to the curriculum but one of the things that has attracted the attention of many people is the focus on languages. The new draft curriculum will ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn a second language from year 7. To support schools in delivering this the Government has provided funding of more than $20.4 million since 2000. As a result 42 percent of primary schools 64 percent of intermediates and 96 percent of secondary schools now offer teaching of other languages. The Government intends to lift this further so that every New Zealand child has a chance to learn another language. 
Hon Bill English 
: Is the Minister aware that one of the values Labour wants taught in schools is integrity and does he believe that his Prime Minister’s handling of Phillip Field’s actions amounts to an example of integrity to New Zealand children? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Yes I am aware that integrity is one of the values in the system and yes to the second question. 
Metiria Turei 
: What importance does the new curriculum place on teaching children to look after our country’s unique environment and native ecosystems and what is the Government doing to promote environmental education in schools? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: “Sustainability” is identified as a significant theme in the draft curriculum. It focuses on the long-term impact of social scientific and technological practices. Schools are encouraged to develop learning opportunities for their students around this theme. In addition in this year’s Budget I was pleased to announce $13 million over 4 years for environmental education support for schools. The increase in support for this initiative is the result of the Green Party and Labour agreement that was negotiated after the 2005 election. I thank the Greens for their insight in this area. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Does the Minister really believe that half an hour a week of second or third language learning for years 7 to 10 is really going to make New Zealand a multilingual nation or does he believe more time will need to be given; if so what learning goes? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I think the member is right that if we are going to achieve the kind of outcomes we want for a multilingual society it may be necessary to have longer periods of time. One of the real strengths of this curriculum of course is that unlike the previous seven-volume curriculum which had a whole range of things the teacher had to do in the classroom there are opportunities for teachers to move across subject areas as they teach a student what that student wants to know. That will allow them to include such things as language in the science curriculum in technology and in other subjects as well which will increase the facility that students have in that area. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Does the Minister not believe that a student’s competence in English should be the main priority in a school languages curriculum and why has he signalled that ensuring migrants can maintain their languages is a priority when New Zealand Qualifications Authority figures show nearly 30 percent of enrolled level 1 National Certificate of Educational Achievement pupils did not achieve the minimum literacy standard last year? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The member will know that there are official languages in this country—English being one of them. That is why all New Zealanders have to learn it that is why it is one of the key subject areas here and that is why it is given prominence but as the member himself has raised there are now large communities of people in New Zealand who will want to maintain their language. Of course that will serve this country extremely well in the 21st century as we relate to countries like China India and others. 
Moana Mackey 
: What responses has he seen from the education sector on the draft curriculum? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I have seen for example a response from Irene Cooper of the New Zealand Educational Institute who said: “This is a very straightforward document.” In addition to the New Zealand Educational Institute’s thumbs up as it has called it Pat Newman from the New Zealand Principals Federation gave it a 9½ out of 10. Reducing the seven curriculum documents down to one has led Debbie Te Whaiti from the Post Primary Teachers Association to say: “It will make classrooms a more enjoyable learning place for students and their families and teachers.” I hope that therefore all people make a submission and that people such as National Party members can stop whining about the education system for a while. They could perhaps make a submission.