Editorial

Keeping Politics Out of Education

It’s been difficult to ignore the recent media coverage concerning New Zealand’s falling PISA standings. PISA, or the Programme for International Student Assessment, is an international assessment that measures the academic performance of 15-year-old students in mathematics, reading, and science. What is clear from the media commentary is that politicians continue to take the PISA bait as part of the quick fix mentality. And if you are to believe the loudest voices in the discussion, a return to ‘back-to-basics’ education will guarantee New Zealand’s future success in the rankings.

However, it is important to note that PISA is not meant to be a comprehensive assessment of all aspects of these learning areas. It is designed to provide a snapshot of how well students are prepared to function in the global economy and to identify areas where education systems need to improve. A simple fix would be for the government to direct schools to teach to the PISA test, and then our rankings would rise across all of the PISA measures. But at what cost?

The purpose of education is to prepare students for success in their personal and professional lives. This includes equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing world, as well as instilling in them the values of critical thinking, problem-solving, and lifelong learning. Education also plays a crucial role in promoting social mobility and reducing inequality by providing opportunities for individuals to access higher-paying jobs and a better quality of life. Furthermore, the latest educational research highlights the importance of creating a positive learning environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, and collaboration, and encourages students to take ownership of their learning.

Simply put, education should empower individuals to realise their full potential and contribute to the betterment of society.

Reducing the educative experience so that it aligns to the narrow confines of an international testing regime is simply not in our children’s best interests.

Compounding this, there is emerging research that suggests a negative correlation between high PISA scores and student wellbeing. While high PISA scores may indicate strong academic performance, they may also come at a cost to students’ mental health and well-being. One study, published in the journal “Social Science & Medicine,” analysed data from the 2015 PISA survey and found that students in countries with higher PISA scores tended to report lower levels of life satisfaction and higher levels of anxiety. The study suggested that the high-pressure academic environments in these countries may be contributing to these negative outcomes.

It is important to note that these studies do not suggest a causal relationship between high PISA scores and poor wellbeing. Rather, they highlight the need for education systems to prioritise student well-being alongside academic achievement. This can be achieved by creating a supportive and positive learning environment that promotes both academic success and student well-being.

The task of the teacher is not just to add value to a student; it is about knowing the learner and enabling that learner to take the next step on their individual journey. Refusing to be distracted, misled or deflated by concerns like PISA rankings. This has never been a part of the fabric of teaching or central to the professional task of teachers. As educators in today’s world, we need to live up to the rhetoric of lifelong learning which means continuing to build a robust profession that can critique and critically reflect as well as develop new ways of working that meets the needs of new generations of students.

Because at the end of the day, this is nothing less than what our students deserve.