1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,720 Speaker 1: So today, ninth of September is the start of a 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: fortnight of the NCAA. Pupils across the country sitting their 3 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: exams for the first time. They'll be doing reading, writing, 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: in numeracy exams. And I would say that this would 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: be happening at every single school across the country, but 6 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: actually it isn't because Portado A College has decided to 7 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: cancel their literacy exams, haven't they And they've done that 8 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:23,959 Speaker 1: because the kids won't pass. They're not ready. Apparently, the 9 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: principle says porterdo A College hasn't been able to get 10 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: the kids ready enough to make these exams a positive experience, 11 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: and so they've just canned the reading and writing exams. 12 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: They're still doing the numeracy ones, but the others are gone. Now, look, 13 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: it's not the end of the world. Okay, these exams 14 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: aren't compulsory this year. They're only compulsory in a couple 15 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: of years time. This year, the kids can make up 16 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: the credit through other ways if they don't do the exams, 17 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: so that they can still pass NCEEA. But what I'm 18 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: kind of continuously shocked by is the attitude that educators 19 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: have of just giving up on the kids. These aren't 20 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: difficult tests. They're not designed mean for third year university students, 21 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,479 Speaker 1: will fully grown adults. They're not supposed to stretch the kids. 22 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: They are designed for year ten, year eleven kids, and 23 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: they are designed to make sure that the kids actually 24 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: know what they are supposed to know at their point 25 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,479 Speaker 1: in their schooling. So if the kids fail, it's because 26 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: they don't know what they're supposed to know for their age. 27 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: The answer to that particular problem is not to cancel 28 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: the exam, And the answer to that particular problem is 29 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: to teach the kids what they're supposed to know, so 30 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: they know what all the other kids around the country know. 31 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: Do you know what I mean? It begs the question 32 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 1: why is put it to a college? Not teaching the 33 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: kids what they're supposed to know for their age? Does 34 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: that maybe go some way to explaining why at put 35 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: it to a college? In twenty twenty two, only twenty 36 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: eight percent of school leavers got NCEEA level three. Do 37 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: we have a little problem here? Maybe? Why isn't the 38 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: school freaking out about this that the kids don't know 39 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: what kids at other schools know? Now lately, because the 40 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: exams have kicked in and the lead up to these 41 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: exams and the first time these exams have kicked in 42 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: and stuff, we have had a lot of complaining from educators. 43 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: I've been told that actually, most teachers and principles and 44 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: secondary schools do support these exams, and the complaining and 45 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: the resistance that we're hearing in public is coming from 46 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: a very loud minority. Now, I truly hope that that 47 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: actually is the case, because I am shocked on two fronts. 48 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: Number one, that these kids do not know what they're 49 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: supposed to know for their age, and number two, more 50 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: shocked that their educators don't seem to think that that's 51 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: a massive problem. Meanwhile, outside of Portadour, up and down 52 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 1: the country, kids will sit these exams and they will 53 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: pass because they have been taught what they're supposed to know, 54 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,239 Speaker 1: which is how it's supposed to be. 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