News Jaya

National standards and school principals

Well, I`m back blogging and I hope to be doing a post on National Standards this week. Yet I couldn't help noticing that Education Minister Anne Tolley thinks that teachers are public servants, and that parents want National Standards. As a parent and a trustee of a school board, I have an opinion on this.

Firstly, Tolley is incorrect. Teachers are not public servants - they are employed by Boards of Trustees. While it is helpful for parents to have reports that clearly show how their kids are doing in reading , writing and maths, in terms of National Standards, what if they don't have a clue of what that national standard is? And what if they want to be told on these reports how their kids are getting on in other areas of the curriculum, such as art? Will that also be reported on?