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"Political hit job": Education Minister hits back at union criticism of new assessment tool

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 9 Apr 2026, 8:03am
Photo / Mark Mitchell
Photo / Mark Mitchell

"Political hit job": Education Minister hits back at union criticism of new assessment tool

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 9 Apr 2026, 8:03am

The Education Minister's hitting back at union claims her flagship assessment tool is falling flat. 

The Educators Collective says fewer than 60% of schools have signed up to the SMART reporting system, with some not planning to use it. 

The tool gives parents progress markers and twice-yearly updates for Year 0-10 students. 

But Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking the criticism is a political hit job and the union’s fudged the figures.  

She says 250 thousand students were signed up to SMART in nine working days, which shows the sector understands assessment is important to raise achievement.  

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