Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The National Party has released its education policy, the same week a government document redefining the curriculum has also been released, termed a common-practice model.
This is against a backdrop of NZ children's falling performance in reading and maths compared to international standards.
Leader Christopher Luxon says two-thirds of secondary school students failed to meet minimum standards in reading, writing and maths, and 98% of decile one year 10 students failed a basic writing test.
The National Party's 'Teaching the Basics Brilliantly' policy is promising to make primary and intermediate students spend at least one hour reading, writing and doing maths everyday.
It also wants to rewrite the curriculum to clearly state what must be taught in these areas each year, and test students twice-yearly from Year 3.
Kathryn talks to Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology at Massey University, James Chapman.
