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The Principals Federation says achievement in maths and science in particular should be ringing alarm bells and schools need more direction on what they should be teaching and the best ways to teach it.
In a letter to the secretary for education, Iona Holsted, the federation s president, Perry Rush, said New Zealand s falling scores had not provoked an urgent response and the lack of thought leadership was a serious weakness.
Holsted responded with a letter that said the Ministry of Education (MOE) was already working on the problems the federation raised and schools already had the ability, and the funding for teacher training, to change how they taught.
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Justin Ivelja says 2020 was a âbit of a buggerâ but he is expected to top his school this year.
âIf you do the work that was set, youâre going to do well,â Justin said.
âI tried to make the most of the opportunity, being at home and being able to work on your own terms, but it was definitely hard not being able to see your mates.â
Lauren Hall, VCE co-ordinator at St Josephâs College Geelong, said Justin would probably be dux of the school.
Year 12 student Justin Ivelja is expected to be dux of St Josephâs College Geelong.
Education takes lessons of 2020 into the new year
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The seismic changes to education brought on by the coronavirus pandemic will continue into 2021 but there will be some benefits to balance the disruption.
Schools will take the lessons of 2020 into the new year.
Credit:Louie Douvis
The hard lessons of lockdown and remote learning should stand students and school staff in good stead for the future, says Victoria University Secondary College principal Elaine Hazim. There were a lot of positives to come out of the negatives this year, she said.
New Zealand s bad results in an international maths and science test are being blamed on factors including grouping children by their ability and the previous government s national standards in reading, writing and maths.
Scores for New Zealand nine and 13-year-olds fell in both subjects in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, with the 13-year-olds recording their worst results ever - 482 for maths and 499 for science.
That was significantly lower than countries New Zealand traditionally compares itself to such as Australia and England where average scores exceeded 500, and the leading nation, Singapore, which scored more than 600 in both subjects.