feedback, feedforward, Feedup, feeddown lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz
The Ministry of Education is to be commended for its well- ‘thinking’, then technology, then MLEs, then ‘collaboration’, and presented summary of submissions to proposed Government so it goes on. Regardless, interest in defining and asserting the changes to the Education Act (euphemistically termed ‘updates’), goals of education is always heightened in times of perceived or bearing in mind that this is just a first step in the exercise; a step real political control, manipulation and narrowing of purposes, that gives an illusion of inclusive policy making. But now we have emphases and resourcing. That view is currently alive and well to try to make sense of all of this, to put it into perspective, and in our primary schools, but thankfully many of the bright-eyed to consider possible ramifications. After all, we can submit as and enlightened professionals continue to look and take their much as we like, but what the current Minister and her cabinet children to wonderful well-rounded learning experiences that bosses like could be an entirely stretch beyond the confines of different matter – and therein the Over the years, New Zealand has dominant fashion fences. integrity of democratic processes Over the years, New Zealand is prone to fall apart, as we have made great play of deciding its has made great play of deciding too often come to see. So despite goals for education. its goals for education. This is the honorable intentions of the hardly a new idea. The Education Secretary of Education, we are entitled to be somewhat skeptical. Development Conference of the 1970s, for instance, went to great lengths and took the time to engage every school-based The Ministry of Education will develop specific proposals community up and down the country in focused discussion for the Minister of Education to consider. The Minister will and contribution. The resulting agreements on goals included then seek cabinet agreement to her (Ms Parata’s) preferred such things as proposals. (1) Some 1845 submissions were made on the five topics permitted for discussion on changes to the Act. Contrast this number to the 9291 submissions that were made on The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and already we have some glaring messages: the time allowed was ridiculously short and very badly timed; the public at large probably had little idea that the exercise was afoot, and for those who were aware, many will have come to the conclusion that the work involved in putting together submissions within contexts of political control can be a complete waste of time. Analysing the ‘submitter demographic’ gives a further perspective. Whereas a large proportion of submissions on the NZC resulted from school or community-based discussions and ‘collaborations’, this doesn’t appear to be the case with this Act exercise. The majority of the 1800+ submitters were individuals, including 1200+ of the 50,000+ teachers in New Zealand, and 600+ of a possible 500,000+ parents. We are therefore justified in concluding that submitter representation of the populace was wafer thin. Regardless, there was some good sense in what some had to say, and some nonsense. Let’s take, for example, submission topic number 1, ‘Making sure everyone knows the goals for education’ – putting aside the ridiculous notion that stating goals in the Education Act will make sure everyone knows them – this topic, not unexpectedly, has captured and cornered the attention of those who are engaging with this Act exercise. It has fed that insatiable thirst for new topic diets. For a while it was formative assessment, then it was
ensuring each pupil receives a balanced education encouraging a sense of history, an awareness of basic values, and the freedom of imagination that will assist in making choices ■■ developing an intrinsic and continuing motivation to learn ■■ developing the ability to speak clearly, listen carefully, read intelligently, and write accurately. ■■ Acquiring the basic understandings and skills of mathematics (Note the clarity of language and the absence of ‘spin it up’ fashion jargon.) ■■ ■■
The current National Education Goals (NEGs) likewise derive largely from widespread discussions and engagement throughout New Zealand, and in light of current game-play, they are certainly worth revisiting and re-evaluating, because there is always room for some improvement. So what might you want to change, add or delete? Are they still relevant? Have they been successful drivers of educational policy, resourcing and practice in this country? Where’s the evidence? While it seems that the NEGs are a logical starting point for any review or discussion on national goals for education, that’s not how it’s being played out. Wonder why? And yet there is a further important consideration here. Unlike the relative inflexibility of the Act with the costly hoo-ha required when making even the smallest of changes, placing the goals in the National Education Guidelines mean that they can be, and have been, adjusted from time to time without the need for statutory
fuss. Moreover, the Act gives the NEGs the full force of authority over every school. Schools are obligated to the goals through their charter undertaking: The purpose of the school charter is to establish the mission, aims, objectives, directions and targets of the board that will give effect to the government’s national education guidelines . . . Education Act (1989) Sec. 61 (2) So what are the merits of putting the goals in the Act over putting them in the NEGs, given that both appear to have equal authority in practice. Well, that depends on which way we look through the eyeglass. It seems that there would be distinct merit if goals in the Act were there to hold the Minister and the Government accountable, just as schools are legally accountable for performance on their charter goals. For too long the there has been a perverse top down view of accountability, with the Minister declaring that she expects this, that and the next thing of schools. The time has come when we should radically flip the viewing angle and declare, ‘This is what we expect from the Minister and the Government, because this is their obligation to the goals of education as stated in the Act’. Let’s take an illustrative example. For decades now, and throughout successive official and unofficial consultations on goals, a ‘balanced curriculum’ is sought every time. Goal 5 of the NEGs recognises and affirms this:
A broad education through a balanced curriculum . . . If this goal were appropriately fashioned in the Act, then it would be incumbent on the Minister and the Government to do all possible to honour and uphold it. It would mean apportioning ‘balanced’ attention to quality professional development and resourcing in the social sciences, the Arts, health, physical education, science, key competencies, values, etc. But for the past decade or so this ‘balanced curriculum’ goal has been impoverished through official neglect. The Minister, preoccupied with measurable standards and data manufacture in one corner of the curriculum, has failed to effectively support schools to provide a broad education through a balanced curriculum across all four quarters. To suggest that her Investing in Educational Success scheme will fix this, is yet another pie to be baked in the sky. It is right that the State should give expression to its goals for education and the reasons for them, but how much confidence and faith we can have in this latest act leading towards the Act is yet to be seen. And the worrying part is that all of this might be something of a smoke screen for other more pungent agendas that have yet to be fully disclosed. We won’t know what we really need to know until Ms Parata’s Bill eventually appears.
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