Belief big changes are needed in Kiwi classrooms

A New Zealand Initiative paper highlights alarming results from a pilot of new assessments, part of an Education Ministry NCEA review.

Only one third of students passed the writing assessment, and only two thirds passed the reading and numeracy tests.

Teacher and Researcher Olywn Johnston blames it on having had an ideology-based education system, rather than evidence based.

She says there's an incorrect assumption children create knowledge.