Mike's Minute: We can't make education easier forever

The principals have got what they wanted. A couple of weeks ago, they wrote to the Government about easing the NCEA requirements.

They claimed students were getting depressed and everyone was at breaking point. And the Government has come to the party.

46 merit or excellence credits instead of 50. For University Entrance, 12 credits from two approved subjects, instead of 14 from three. In simple terms they have made it easier.

It's not hard to make it easier, but to what end?

I'm torn, as a parent and as a person who sat all this stuff, I couldn't wait to leave school. I hated exams, I found large portions of the academic exercise completely fruitless and futile, and I knew what I wanted to do, how to do it, and school was holding me back. I have seen it in some of our kids as well.

My School Certificate and University Entrance qualifications have meant virtually nothing to me once I left school, other than a record that I turned up for a number of years and passed some exams.

So, make it as easy as you want, what does it really matter?

But then, it's critical isn't it? What is it we are teaching? How are we teaching? How do we compare? And how do we compete? School is the foundation of learning. It's the starting pack for life and participating in it.

The evidence shows as a country we aren't doing well. In those core subjects like science, maths, and literacy we are slipping and slipping badly. Where once we were at the top of the OECD, now we aren't and we aren't even close. And making stuff easy, like handing out free grades, doesn’t help.

Yes, Covid is tough and school life is tough. You can't get teachers and schools are social welfare agencies, but tough times are a test not a reason to acquiesce, to quit, give up, or ask for a free pass.

We are sadly running a lowest common denominator operation. I have three kids in education. They've all been disrupted, they’ve all been at home, but they haven't given up and they don’t want an easy ride.

Covid is an excuse, it's been used. And it continues to be used as too much of an excuse.

We can't do this, don’t do this, that’s stopped, and we aren't doing that anymore. Do many aspects of life that because of Covid, no longer happen.

It's “have an inch take a mile” mindset. You know how it goes, why is it delayed?

Because of Covid.

And now the schools, kids' education, and an investment for life are being given up because of a couple of years of disruption. If the subject was determination and mindset, on this decision we fail.

And when we fail, we fail our kids.

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