Local schools face government changes

Changes in our schools, initiated by the National-led government, take effect in terms one and two. Education Minister Erica Stanford announced last month that students would be banned from having cellphones at school from Term 2, although the government expects most schools to do it in the first term. Each school can decide how to apply the policy. Schools have also been directed to implement National’s policy of delivering at least one hour per day of maths, reading and writing, in Primary and Intermediate schools, from the first term.  Both policies were part of National’s campaign man...