25 Mar 2022

Govt sets out plan to lift children's maths, literacy performance

12:00 pm on 25 March 2022

The government has unveiled its plan for tackling declining maths and literacy performance in schools.

Student holding pencils for math calculation, homework.

Photo: 123RF

It is promising more support for teachers and a new system of tests to measure children's abilities.

It also says initial teacher education will spend more time showing trainee teachers how to teach maths, reading and writing.

"The reality is our maths and literacy outcomes need to change," Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti said in statement.

"We must do better for our kids and ensure they are getting the education they deserve.

"We will do this by ensuring teachers are supported and have what they need to be good teachers. We'll improve assessment so that learners are assessed as individuals and supports are tailored to the individual needs, rather than a one size fits all check box mentality."

Strategies for English and Māori-medium classrooms are ambitious and will take time, Tinetti said.

The strategy released today covers literacy and communication, numeracy, and mathematics and statistics teaching, learning, and assessment in early learning and schooling.

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