Tolley 'disappointed' by teacher unions

MAARTEN HOLL/The Dominion Post

PUPILS' PROGRESS: "I find it really disappointing that the unions want to stop parents getting information about how their kids are doing," Mrs Tolley said.

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The Government has intensified a developing standoff with teacher unions.

After The Dominion Post revealed yesterday early plans by the primary teachers union to strike over the national standards policy, Education Minister Anne Tolley hit back, telling Parliament she was "disappointed" by the unions.

"I find it really disappointing that the unions want to stop parents getting information about how their kids are doing," Mrs Tolley said.

"This Government is on the side of parents and we're on the side of kids."

Mrs Tolley was answering questions put to her by National Party colleagues. She has taken an increasingly hard line with union groups over the policy, dismissing pleas to delay the new standards in primary school literacy and numeracy beyond the start date of next year.

Yesterday, she said that "most schools" supported starting the policy next year.

Last month, Professor John Hattie issued a paper saying the standards could be the most disastrous education policy formulated.

Mrs Tolley's stance against the unions comes ahead of collective agreement negotiations next year.