New curriculum aims to foster independent thought

"This curriculum represents a shift away from focusing on knowing facts and figures to knowing also how to use knowledge effectively and apply it outside the classroom," Miss Clark said.
Education Minister Chris Carter said the curriculum covered eight areas of knowledge: English, maths, languages, technology, science, the arts, social sciences, health and physical education.
"The curriculum also includes a range of key competencies young people need to acquire such as thinking, using language, symbols and texts, managing oneself, relating to others and participating and contributing," Mr Carter said.
Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said her party had pushed for changes to the draft on sustainability and the Treaty.
Ms Fitzsimons said under her party's post election deal with the Government the Greens had also secured $13 million for environmental education.
She would have preferred that sustainability was defined as a core curriculum principle and would continue to push for that.

It is well and truly passed the point in New Zealand where laws should be passed that forbade the pursuit of political agenda in education that can only result in the suppression of independent thinking.