Raising Education Standards

Raising Education Standards

Holding the Government to account is just one of the jobs of Opposition, and it has become an interesting job. Credibility is a valuable political asset, hard to build and easily lost. But the more important task we face is that we have to build a vision for a better New Zealand, so people know they have a viable choice in 2005.

National will campaign for one standard of citizenship, and to close the economic gap with Australia. Education is part of both stories - it provides the opportunity to give every child the start deserved by a New Zealand citizen, and an appropriately educated workforce is critical to higher rates of growth

In the next few weeks National will release a discussion document on education aimed at excellence in schools.

I have watched our schools closely for over a decade - and I've had children in our schools for the last 10 years.

I have been struck by how our schools are often slow in responding to the changing climate...