Like many parents, Nigel Latta felt cynical about the education system. The parenting commentator and clinical psychologist wondered why classrooms these days look more like cafes, and why on earth children were allowed to learn dance or panel beating as part of the NCEA.
So he decided to see for himself, and visited some schools to see the education system in action. And he came out totally impressed.
He says after doing classes with high school students, he now believes the NCEA is really good system and that it simply has a public image problem.
He joined a technology class at Pakuranga college and says it was like walking into a business because the kids were learning skills for the real world.
When I was in high school you made a wooden pencil box… in this class you get a client, you get a brief, you make a product, and you are graded on that product.
Nigel Latta talks about education with Lynn Freeman on Nine to Noon.
