Shift from facts to 'using knowledge' in new curriculum

New Zealand's new school curriculum, featuring an emphasis on students thinking for themselves and a strong environmental component, was launched at Parliament House today after a three-year consultation process.

"Consultation on the new curriculum involved input from more than 15,000 New Zealanders, with 10,000 submissions made on the final draft ... it is one of the most comprehensive consultations ever made."

"(It) represents a shift away from focusing on knowing facts and figures to knowing also how to use knowledge effectively and apply it outside the classroom."

The curriculum introduces five key competencies that students need to "contribute to society" and will be developed across all subject areas - thinking; using language, symbols and texts; managing self; relating to others; and participating and contributing.

These stand alongside the NZC's values framework, which include excellence, innovation, enquiry and curiosity, diversity, equity, community and participation, ecological sustainability, integrity and respect.

Other new features include the formal recognition of Te Reo Maori and Sign Language as official languages and the higher status given to learning a second language.

Statistics is given more emphasis within Mathematics, and the Treaty of Waitangi is mentioned explicitly in the curriculum's overview, purpose, principles and values.

Education Minister Chris Carter said the new document was flexible and gave schools space to consult with communities, whanau and families about how the curriculum should be put into practice.

The redevelopment of the NZC began in 2002 as a result of the recommendations of the Curriculum stocktake report.

Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said her party had pushed for changes to the draft on sustainability and the Treaty.

Ms Fitzsimons said under her party's post election deal with the Government the Greens had also secured $13 million for environmental education.

She would have preferred that sustainability was defined as a core curriculum principle and would continue to push for that.

Mr Carter said schools would be supported to implement the new curriculum over three years until 2010 with workshops, online resources and other support.

Teacher unions were previously supportive of the draft curriculum but some schools questioned whether they would get additional resources to implement new areas such as second language teaching.

- with NZPA

- © Fairfax NZ News