PPTA sees sense

The Herald reports:

The secondary teachers union will drop a proposed move to ban foreign qualifications, saying it was proving a “distraction” from the real issues around NCEA.

A Post-Primary Teachers’ Association paper titled “The NCEA: Can it be saved” previously included lobbying for a ban of Cambridge and International Baccalaureate, alongside a series of other recommendations around how to ensure NCEA remained workable and robust.

The proposed ban has been hotly debated since it was raised, with NCEA supporters arguing foreign examinations undermined our local qualification, while Cambridge supporters argued its system was more robust, and there needed to be a choice.

PPTA members today voted for the paper at their national conference in Wellington, without the recommendation included after executive members decided to remove it.

A good move from the PPTA. Their own credibility would have been badly damaged if they had endorsed the proposal to advocate a ban of foreign qualifications.

Some schools choose to offer international qualifications such as Cambridge. That is a choice their community of parents makes. They should have that choice.