Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

New Zealand curriculum
The revised New Zealand Curriculum was launched by the Labour Government in November
2007 following an appropriate period of trialling and consultation, which included the
publication of a draft version in 2006. Consultation on this important document included
input from 15,000 New Zealanders, 10,000 submissions on the final draft, and
comprehensive peer reviews from both the UK and Australia.
The New Zealand Curriculum has been lauded the world over. New Zealand was at the
international forefront on curriculum change.
The new curriculum replaced seven documents with one. It was designed to give schools
the flexibility to involve communities, whānau and families in formulating a curriculum to
meet the needs of students. As well as knowing facts and figures, the curriculum also
focuses on how to use knowledge effectively and apply it outside the classroom.
Schools were required to give full effect to the curriculum by February 2010, but this has
been hampered by the introduction of National Standards.
National Standards have taken the focus away from implementation of the breadth of our
Curriculum and narrowed it down to reading, writing and maths. Professional development
has also been restricted to the implementation of the National Standards.
Labour will support and resource schools to use the New Zealand Curriculum so that
students have the competencies and knowledge needed to thrive in the 21st century.
Labour will refocus professional development in the sector on the successful
implementation of the breadth and depth of the New Zealand Curriculum.
Financial Literacy
Financial literacy means having the ability to make informed judgements and make effective
decisions regarding the use and management of money. Labour wants to increase the
financial literacy of New Zealanders.
Organisations like the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income and the
Enterprise New Zealand Trust operate a range of financial education programmes in
schools, but these programmes only reach a small percentage of students each year. As a
result, many people start their adult lives with limited personal financial understanding.
Labour will work alongside educators, community groups and schools to encourage,
develop, and support financial literacy programmes that provide practical every-day
usage for children through to adulthood, with the aim of incorporating financial
literacy programmes from primary school levels onwards.
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