A professor who has advised the Goverment on national standards in reading, writing and maths, says lack of teacher support is threatening their success.
At a public lecture in Wellington on Wednesday night, Professor John Hattie of the University of Auckland said the standards could be good for schools.
But he said they will not work work without more involvement from teachers.
Professor Hattie said one of the keys to success is good professional development that inspires teachers.
He said the standards will be most useful if they focus on children's progress in learning.
But Professor Hattie said the standards should be evaluated and abandoned if they do not improve children's education.
