Education in or for the 21st Century?

Abstract

The main policy problems facing education in 2017 relate to its resourcing, its structure, and the measurement of its performance and impact. Underneath the questions of whether government funding matches the greater expectations placed on education over the last decade, and whether structures need changing, or new players introduced, lies the question of what should be given most priority. Should education be most valued in terms of its contribution to increasing New Zealand’s productivity and economic wellbeing, which has been more and more to the fore in tertiary policy? Should it be most valued in relation to what can be quantitatively measured, focusing on achievement in the traditional ‘3Rs’ through national standards, and secondary qualifications, the emphasis in the first set of Better Public Services targets? Should it be most valued in terms of how well students develop the capabilities to contribute as citizens, form flourishing families, think critically and creatively, problem-solve, and act well in the face of an increasingly volatile natural and human world?