5. Question No. 5—EducationMARJA LUBECK (Labour) (remote) to the Associate Minister of EducationQuestion No. 5—Education5. MARJA LUBECK (Labour) (remote) to the Associate Minister of Education: What work is the Government progressing to lift student achievement in maths and literacy?Hon JAN TINETTI (Associate Minister of Education): Last week the Government was pleased to release two new strategies that set out our plan to improve outcomes for Kiwi kids in maths literacy communication: Te Reo Matatini and Pāngarau. It's time to do things differently and these strategies provide a vision and direction that we need to head in order to improve learning over the next five years. It is fundamental that teachers are supported and have what they need to be good teachers and—as a former teacher—I know firsthand how important this is. We are fixing assessments so that kids are assessed as individuals and supports are tailored to what the learner needs—not a one-size-fits-all check-box exercise. We'll ensure opportunities for all young people and particularly for those who have been underserved in the past by tackling inequity in our system. Marja Lubeck: How were the strategies developed? Hon JAN TINETTI: These strategies are evidence based and draw on domestic and international best practice and expert advice. However importantly they have also been developed for the New Zealand context and ensure that we place the learner at the centre and leave nothing to chance. They have also been developed in partnership with a range of educational leaders teachers learners parents and whānau and others from the wider community. This has included the perspectives of Māori and Pacific people professional associations unions employers and industry representatives members of the disability sector and expert advisory groups such as the NZC Curriculum Voices Group. Marja Lubeck: What do these strategies mean for teachers parents and students?Hon JAN TINETTI: These strategies will guide action to shape the early learning and schooling system to deliver equity and excellence. Previously in English medium the curriculum for maths and literacy has been too vague for students and for Māori medium curriculum Pāngarau and Te Reo Matatini were a translation of the English medium resources that missed the mark for our ākonga. Students will now be able to enjoy a curriculum that is clear engaging and relevant. Parents and whānau can feel confident we are developing a curriculum that supports their children's learning progress and will provide lifelong maths and literacy skills. As for teachers confidence comes with knowledge so there will be a stronger focus on these subjects in initial teacher education and professional learning development. Erica Stanford: Why is it when she says that the strategy document is evidence based that the Science of Reading findings—the most up to date body of research—is never even mentioned in the document?Hon JAN TINETTI: Very simply that this is the strategy that oversees the whole of the development in literacy and numeracy—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! We've had lots of complaints of noise overriding and—Hon Member: How many?SPEAKER: Can the member resume—hundreds and the member should know not to interject. We've had lots of complaints about roars of noise overriding the ability of the public to hear and we had just one of those now—not even a full sentence into the beginning of the Minister's reply to the supplementary question. The Minister will start again. Hon JAN TINETTI: Thank you Mr Speaker. Just to reiterate that this is the strategic document that shows the overall strategy and the road map towards where we are heading in literacy. There are other important parts of this that are progressing at this particular time including the refresh of the curriculum. As I have said these strategies are based on evidence and the evidence shows that there is no one-size-fits-all and I would actually point that member towards the references in the back of the document that fully show the broad range of evidence that we are using in the production of this strategy.