Again I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry but it became clear in the house today that Anne Tolley had either not read, not understood or could not remember the briefing paper she received when she became Minister.
I was heading towards asking her why she didn’t boost the previous governments literacy strategy if her priority was improving reading and writing.
But it became clear that she did not know that where the strategy had been implemented (44% of primary schools) students gains in reading and writing were twice those that could be expected without the intervention and that schools accelerated the rate of progress for the majority of the at risk students by four times the expected rate.
Made it pretty hard to proceed to substantive question line.
Update Video now here
And for those without broadband the hansard:-
| NewsRoom.co.nz Agency Story at 6:16 pm, 17 Mar 2010 |
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) : We did consider the approach from the previous Labour Government, which saw our literacy and numeracy achievements stagnate, and almost one in five students leave schools without the skills they needed to succeed. We rejected that do-nothing approach in favour of national standards, which are overwhelmingly backed by parents around the country.
Hon Trevor Mallard: What reports has she received on the progress made by students under the previous Government’s literacy strategy?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY: The primary question was extremely broad. I do not have those results with me; I had no way of knowing that they would be required. But I am happy, if the member wishes to put that in a written question, to answer it.
Hon Trevor Mallard: Can she remember, from the briefings she has received, what the student gains in reading and writing were, under the literacy strategy of the previous Government?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY: My answer to that is that I am happy to answer such a detailed question in written form. I can remember the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, which showed that our readers had not progressed in the last 10 years. That coincides with the previous Labour Government’s management of education.
Hon Trevor Mallard: Can she remember receiving a briefing that indicated that students’ gains in reading and writing under the previous Government’s literacy strategy were twice those that could be expected without the intervention, and that schools had accelerated the rate of progress for the majority of at-risk students by four times the expected rate?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY: No, I did not read the Labour Party manifesto. But I do remember that it is very clear that almost one in five students-
Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My question, right at the beginning, was whether the Minister could remember a briefing. The Labour Party manifesto is not a briefing, so I ask you to ask the Minister to at least start off by answering the question.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Minister said that she had not read Labour Party policy. She said that. If the member would like to ask the question again for clarification, I would be happy to accept that.
Hon Trevor Mallard: Can she remember reading a briefing to her about the previous Government’s literacy strategy, which indicated that students’ gains in reading and writing were twice what could be expected without the intervention, and that schools had accelerated the rate of progress for the majority of at-risk students by four times the expected rate?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY: What I can remember is receiving many briefings outlining that nearly one in five New Zealand students is leaving school unable to read, write, or do maths at anywhere near the levels they need to in order to succeed.
Nikki Kaye: What funding has the Government made available to support national standards?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY: The Government has provided $36 million of additional funding to support students and schools to meet the national standards. We will be announcing how we can make best use of that funding in the coming months. That funding is additional money that has been appropriated in Budget 2009. I have heard ludicrous suggestions from the education spokesperson for the Opposition that we should actually scrap that funding.
Hon Trevor Mallard: Did she read and understand the briefing to her as an incoming Minister that indicated that the previous Government’s literacy strategy resulted in student gains in reading and writing that were twice what could be expected without the intervention, and that schools accelerated the rate of progress for the majority of at-risk students by four times the expected rate? If she did read and understand that, why has she not invested more in that area, which has proven results, rather than the $62 million put into her national standards?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY: There was such a lot in that question. But, actually, New Zealand rejected that, not just me. New Zealand elected a Government that promised to introduce national standards so that every single child could read, write, and do maths when they left school. That is what the country voted for. No matter what the briefings say, no matter what the Opposition may say now, almost one in five children failed. They failed under the previous Government.
Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. That was a very straightforward question about whether the Minister had considered her briefing as an incoming Minister before she made that decision. She did not address that question.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I believe that she did. She said that she had had many briefings, and then she went on to explain why the new Government has a different position to what the previous Government had even though there had been briefings.
Hon Trevor Mallard: I seek leave to table the document that outlines the gains made under the previous strategy, which is the briefing to incoming Minister that the Minister appears not to have read and understood.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose, is there any objection? There is objection.
Hon ANNE TOLLEY: That document is already in the public domain. I released it.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: We have just ruled on that, so the matter is finished.
ENDS
Keep it up Trevor. It’s quite clear she is out of depth as a Minister. This Government does not understand evidence-based policy.
Frankly I can only assume if they are considering sacking her, they have to wait while someone else comes “up-to-speed”. It might be a while. Oh what a connundrum for Mr Key.
She was not liking your questions at all – and you were, I thought, being quite reasonable, non provocative and simply asking her a question. Her response to say ‘I will reply in writing’, was a fob off that showed how out of depth she is, and then her blaming the 1 in 5 rubbish to Lab (seems she can only say that over, and over, and over – ground hog day like – again) and the ’support’ her crew gave her, was just sad. Sad that they have to boost her self esteem at all.
http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/1591 is the link to the video
Gee I just listened to it. Tolley is telling lies. The briefing is at http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/tertiary+education+holding+space and makes fascinating reading.
She was urged to keep working on the previous strategy and its success was outlined to her. The emphasis was on professional development.
To make it really obscene some of the funding for Labour’s strategy was cut, so that National Standards could be funded.
I wonder if once the National Testing was promised in 2008, they must carry it through. It is possible that Anne Tolley has been told to ignore all questions and plough on regardless. It will happen. However I also wonder if Anne is affected by the contrary and well founded comment? She would have to be really close-minded to miss the points. Is she just carrying out orders?
“Do as you are told,” says John with a grin.
Advice given to Tolley from Key – “Just smile and wave Anne, just smile and wave…” (or is that waver?)
Good grief,
That was terribly sad.
For all of us.
If you turn the volume up on the video, you will hear a very audible “Oh, oh gawd, aw…” from Tolley before she rises to answer the first supplementary.
A sure sign of a Minister in charge of her portfolio. Not!
How have they judge the fact that 1 in 5 school leavers cant read or do math?
My math is lacking in some areas, but if i need to know how to work something out i just google it.
With reading, how do you judge that, its very subjective.
I would suggest that 99% of those aged over 20 could not do the algebra equations they were taught in school, that doens not signify that you cant do math.
She didnt seem flustered to me?
@toad – yep, it was quite comic really – the ‘aww gawd’
Nothing to say on the progress made under the old system.
“That is what the country voted for. No matter what the briefings say, no matter what the Opposition may say now”
Very telling. Maybe someone should tell her the country voted for the party(s), there was no particular referendum or any side vote that said we like N.S. or “even if it is a crap policy do it anyway”. Maybe they want to implement just one policy that they actually campaigned on?
Thank you for remembering a few of us that don’t have broadband.
@Waterboy, mentioning algerbra bought back memories.
Rolling my eyes at Anne Tolley latest stuff up. What more can I do? She is out of her depth.
Hon Trevor Mallard: I seek leave to table the document…
Hon ANNE TOLLEY: That document is already in the public domain. I released it.
So I take it that she released it without reading it?
It seems to me that the job is still too large for her abilities.
I thought she didn’t know of the document?
The questions are reasonable and demand a reasonable response which she is unable to give. The Minister can obfuscate poorly in the House but her position with the media deteriorates with each poor response. You wear the measured, substantive approach well Trevor.
@Bea
Thought that was a strange comment too.
Trevor, you need to learn to use apostrophes.
“But it became clear that she did not know that where the strategy had been implemented (44% of primary schools) students gains in reading and writing were twice those that could be expected without the intervention and that schools accelerated the rate of progress for the majority of the at risk students by four times the expected rate.”
Normally I wouldn’t pull someone up on their typing skills (as mine are pretty shoddy at the best of times) however since you’re going on about reading and literacy and being a former school teacher I’d suggest having a look at what you type because your grammatical skills leave a bit to be desired…
I re-watched and picke dup the oh god bit…
Having said that this Government has mastered the art of answering a question with a pre determined slogan. Ryall did it this morning.
Hey guys this is a blog. I do them quickly and frankly if you want perfect English go get a book from a library.
Oops
Mucked up my link. The report is at http://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/MinEdu_BIM.pdf
While the grounds Tolley opposed tabling the report was the icing on the cake because it proved she was lying or at best deliberately refusing to answer questions, the behaviour of Lindsay Tisch showed he was as good as colluding with Tolley and the government and in fact is what stood out the most. Appalling conduct from a speaker. He should never be allowed back in the chair again.
That is not fair on Lindsay. I think he did a pretty good job.
You’ll probably be interested in watching the documentary Spin. In it the pollies are given the advice that it doesn’t matter what the question is, always turn the answer to what you want to say. This is exactly what National have been doing for the last few years.
Draco – the other old policy trick is to set up the public in such a way as to have them asking for the solution you had devised and proposed before going to them…then it looks like you delivered what the people wanted when in fact you manipulated the people to ask for what you wanted to give them.
What, she released a document she hasn’t read!!……that about says it all, a poor performance from Tolley, keep up the heat Trevor for the sake of our children.
John Armstrong’s taek (no comment on her og god stuttering)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10632717
You don’t see the irony in your use of the english language while castigating her about improving reading and writing?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10632717
Oops.
Sorry wasn’t ment to just copy it underneath.
Was a good article though, thanks for that Tracey.
There is a real nack for convincing people that they want it and it was their idea. I do it with my children all the time.
A Mother
I was nearly going to say I almost agree with brash that we are all venal and ingorant voters… I submitted a comment to Brash’s cry-baby article online in the Herald recently. It was published but they left out the part where I suggested the article showed he is venal and ignorant. Funny they didnt mind publishing it when he was calling all of us by that label. Just saying.
oh where is that article?
I have listened – can hear awe or similar but not the rest
Sorry for the divert, here is the article
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10631715
While I’m not against having a standard for Literacy and Numeracy, the display from our Minister is sadly very Third World (ie corrupt). (And Mark, it is ok to make mistakes, but not ok to intentionally lie.)
Education posts are not coming up at the moment. Got here by a different route. Commenting to see if it appears in recent comments
Is Tolley still holding meetings?
Meeting last night in Dunedin:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/99602/tolley-audience-testy
Wow.
Its not going that well for her is it? “..and then advised those unhappy with that situation to stand for Parliament themselves”
Oh come on. Really?
LOL
Just watched the replay of question time today:
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Business/QOA/0/3/8/49HansQ_20100330_00000012-12-Education-National-Standards-Minister.htm
Now I really don’t know if Anne Tolley is shrewdly playing the answer any question with your own messages game or honestly doesn’t understand her portfolio and English language. I mean 3 questions for her to get off intra-school moderation slogans and address inter-school moderation is ridiculous.
Oh dear. Why can’t she just answer the question. Maybe there something wrong with her hearing?
I don’t think that is the reason though. It wouldn’t explain all the other stuff ups. She acts a little like a spoilt child. Well do it yourself then is what 3 year olds say. I’m in charge so I make the rules is like a 5 year old in a school yard.
And as she admitted, we already have testing so what is the point in this?
We HAVE stood for Parliament, everyone who voted elected people to represent them, that is to stand in for them at Parliament, shame on Tolley for not understanding this. Then we have two of her colleagues (Heatley and Brownlee) who say they dont understand the rules around credit cards but are entrusted with CABINET PORTFOLIOS…