Weekend Herald stories about how children learn maths at school have prompted a flood of responses from readers and experts. Andrew Laxon explains what the argument is about.

Kids at Kamo Primary School at the northern end of Whangarei are split down the middle over an offer of free milk from New Zealand's biggest company, Fonterra.

The number of new international students approved to study in New Zealand has dropped nearly a quarter since 2009 despite government measures to boost the industry.

Are wealthy Kiwis passing on their financial knowledge to children.

Regional polytechnics are important to their communities, and the National-led government is underfunding them, two Labour politicians say.

A Wanganui fireman is now heading the country's firefighters union and says he wants to develop much closer and clearer relationships with the Fire Service on his watch.

Young New Zealanders are at a huge disadvantage to Australian and European students because so few are learning a second or third language.

Former Education Secretary Lesley Longstone received a $425,475 payout after her resignation at the end of last year, it has been revealed.

Novopay Minister Steven Joyce says there is "a wider range of villains" behind the troubled payroll system than the National MPs whose offices are being picketed today.

In a positive development for Dunedin's tertiary education industry, Otago Polytechnic predicts higher student numbers later this year.

The chances of the most disadvantaged students getting any benefit from a PPP school may be no better than the toss of a coin, writes John O'Neill.

Oh-kayyyy. So Mike Williams, a former Labour Party president, calls parents who try to get their kids into higher decile schools "dumb", writes Deborah Hill Cone.

New Zealand's foremost mathematician has spoken out against the way maths is taught in schools, saying children need to know basic arithmetic before they try to start problem solving.

A leaked document threatens to sabotage an ambitious bid for an $800,000 "tele-medicine" scheme for remote Far North schools.

Dr Lance O'Sullivan says he would not see most of Kaitaia's children with skin infections if he didn't go into schools to look for them.

School boards of trustees want charter schools to be limited to three only, set up on a trial basis for three to five years, and assessed by an independent research programme.

The KidsCan charity says an "epidemic" of poverty-related illnesses makes earthquake-damaged eastern suburbs of Christchurch its next priority for school-based health services.

A former Mt Albert Grammar student says a headmaster's speech about education being a "silver bullet" was eerily similar to one given in fictional TV show The West Wing.

Minister in charge of Novopay Steven Joyce says he understands the frustration of secondary teachers who say they will pursue legal action over the Novopay payroll system.

The Post Primary Teachers' Association has launched legal action seeking compensation for members affected by the Novopay payroll system.

Special-needs students have been placed at risk by the Government's decision to switch taxi companies used to transport them to school, parents and a principal say.