[Greens-Media] My School damage could stop immediately if Piccoli serious

[John Kaye]

My School damage could stop immediately if Piccoli serious

Media release: 7 March 2014

The Greens are calling on NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli to back up
his words with actions and bring legislation into state parliament to stop
My School publishing NSW school test results on the My School website.

('My School should be scrapped, says Piccoli', Sydney Morning Herald, 7
March, p. 1, http://j.mp/1cdHD3V)

Greens NSW MP John Kaye said: "The Minister is right. Publishing
school-wide NAPLAN results adds unnecessary and age-inappropriate stress to
students. It has undermined educational outcomes and wasted federal and
state money.

"My School misleads parents about the quality of schooling and stigmatises
schools that serve disadvantaged communities.

"There are much better ways of keeping parents informed about their
children's school than publishing averaged diagnostic test results.

"The Greens would support legislation to reverse the 2009 changes to the
state's Education Act that permitted the publication of NAPLAN outcomes.

"Mr Piccoli could stop the damage done by My School right now.

"With Greens support a repeal of the 2009 legislation would be guaranteed
passage through the NSW parliament.

"Mr Piccoli's concerns can be much more than just a thought bubble. He
could pass legislation that stops the damage.

"NSW Labor should recognise that their enthusiastic support of Julia
Gillard's school competition agenda was a mistake.

"They should join with the Greens in supporting moves to reverse the 2009
changes.

"We want to work with the NSW government to develop new measures of school
accountability that don't put stress on students, damage the curriculum or
mislead parents.

"Having rejected one of the key components of the education competition
agenda, Mr Piccoli should look again at school devolution and  what he is
doing to TAFE.

"Hopefully he will recognise that there are equally strong arguments
against cutting up the Department of Education and dumping TAFE into
unwinnable competition for students and money with low cost, low quality
private providers," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

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John Kaye
Greens NSW MP
phone: 0407 195 455
web: www.john.nsw.greens.org.au
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