Patrick Drumm: Mount Albert Grammar Headmaster on Labour's plan to pause educational reform if elected
episodeTranscript
jump: chapters · speakers · find in transcriptTranscript
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What is Labour’s proposal for pausing New Zealand’s education reform?
So Labour, back to the old drawing board on education reform. They want to freeze the overhaul, put on a so called independent group of experts to have a look at it all. They keep English and maths, NC EA stays until at least twenty nine. Patrick Drumm runs Mount Albert Grammar and he's with us. Patrick, morning to you. Morning Mike, how are you? Very well indeed. This constant upheaval, whether you like it or not, right or wrong, left or right, whatever. Are you sick of it?
Why does Patrick Drumm argue that slowing the curriculum and assessment reforms would be catastrophic?
Well, we're uh well advanced at the moment down this down this path and I I think y that was the concern of the announcement yesterday that I mean those two separate issues, I suppose the independent council which may have some merit if you but I suppose independence is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? But yeah, this this slowdown um when we are so close now because the year nine group this year, coming to the end of their year Um, they're only uh just over a year away from beginning that foundation course this year eleven students. So, you know, we're a lot of preparation going on in that. And we're well advanced down these um reforms with curriculum and the design of that assessment system. So you know again, I think uh that would be pretty catastrophic to sort of up
It put a hold on that and tell people we're gonna start again. Broadly speaking, is it working?
How are independent advisory groups influencing the current education overhaul?
Well, we're gonna find out, but there's there's a huge amount of work going on already uh with with advisor I mean, we talk about independent advisory groups, the minister has um uh cross sector advisory groups. I'm part of one. broad representation um of people educationalists and other other people on those already. So there's a lot of eyes going across the reforms that are that are being proposed. Uh and, you know, we see what's happening already with the curriculum changes in the primary system we're seeing, you know, the beginnings of the worm turning with some of the assessment um decline and um some good news around PISA recently. So, you know, there's some real um energy and impetus and just to sort of put a hold on it now and extend things out to what could be another five, six, seven years.
Uh would just I thought it's been this be exhausting, pretty catastrophic for the first time. So if you were
advising Labour on education policy, you would have said what you've just said now, which in other words is it's it's turning, we're seeing progress, it's t we're past close to the past, a point of no return, just let let it let it run.
We need to stay the course on this. We absolutely do. And uh there is uh you know th those first indications and this is a this is a long term yeah, we've waited twenty five years for this and it's not going to be perfect first time. There'll be iterations over the the time ahead, but we need to get this curriculum launched, we need to get the assessment system reformed, it's desperate.
What evidence does Drumm cite to show progress in the new curriculum and assessment system?
And I saw there was talks of tweaking NCA. I mean that that is again, uh would just be crazy. We we've we've you know unpacked and unpacked that over the last few years about why the changes are needed there. Uh there are there are very, very uh positive changes coming that our young people need and we just need to stay the course with it.
Very well said, Patrick. Do you have a good weekend? Appreciate it. Patrick Drum, who's the headmaster of Mount Elbert Grammar. Uh Ginny would back it up by saying sh all she's hearing is that it's not working and I think the evidence is against her.
What final recommendations does the headmaster give to Labour about staying the course?
It's a very brave call, Mike. Ginny's been instructed by the unions to apply the brakes. There's a little bit of that and the experts, the chin stroking experts to procrastinate about NCEA while Erica charges on with success mic, pretty obvious labor will have been got to by the teachers. Union
For more from the Mike Asking Breakfast, listen live to News Talks Ed B from 6 AM weekdays or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
No segments match your search.
Select any passage to copy it with its citation or turn it into a shareable card.
Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is Labour’s proposal for pausing New Zealand’s education reform?
0:00–0:22
2
Why does Patrick Drumm argue that slowing the curriculum and assessment reforms would be catastrophic?
0:22–1:11
3
How are independent advisory groups influencing the current education overhaul?
1:11–2:32
4
What evidence does Drumm cite to show progress in the new curriculum and assessment system?
2:32–3:02
5
What final recommendations does the headmaster give to Labour about staying the course?
3:02–3:27
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from The Mike Hosking Breakfast
Full Show Podcast: 18 September 2026
Chris Tennent-Brown: ASB Senior Wealth Economist on the results of the ASB Regional Economic Scoreboard
Meg Williams: World of Wearable Art CEO on the landmark 40th anniversary exhibition
Stacey Jones: Warriors Assistant Coach on this weekend's sudden death match against the Knights
Brooke van Velden: Internal Affairs Minister says she has no confidence in Fire and Emergency boss Kerry Gregory
Mike's Minute: Supermarket and price gouging policies are fanciful