Letters: We need to teach students how to think, not just get right answers; airport woes; and council spending

'The national curriculum’s focus should move away from just numeracy and literacy to a rich and varied curriculum so students want to attend school again.' Photo / 123rf

Another report about New Zealand students falling further behind in maths and science (NZ Herald, December 6).

Shockingly, nearly $200m was lost by Kiwis to scams last year (NZ Herald, November 13).

As the world becomes increasingly complex and technology-driven, the ability to critically think for yourself has never been more important, yet we still seem to focus on our students’ declining maths results.

Since Covid, there has been a huge increase in absenteeism in schools. The national curriculum’s focus should move away from just numeracy and literacy to a rich and varied curriculum so students want to attend school again.

The Stem focus has completely forgotten the arts. Arts give students a platform for self-expression and encourage individuals to think critically and creatively. Through engaging in the arts, you learn to approach challenges from a unique viewpoint and come up with new and imaginative solutions.

We must teach our students how to think and learn, not just how to get the right answers.

Huw Dann, Mt Eden.

Try splitting the lines

On the way to Dunedin today, my 5km of morning walk was done in the line for security at Auckland Airport. There must be a better way. Instead of one line for all, why not have dedicated lines to the most popular destinations, like Wellington and Queenstown etc. This may move people faster?

S Mohanakrishnnan, Auckland.

Or fly via Christchurch?

As an international passenger who passes through Auckland Airport enroute to or from North America or Australia several times a year, I’ve experienced delays on arrival at Auckland Airport way too frequently, related to insufficient open gates requiring busing to the terminal, long waits for luggage, huge lines at biosecurity, then a rush walking or busing to the domestic terminal for a connection I’ve not infrequently missed because of delays.

However, an answer appears to have eventuated. United Airlines starts flying directly to Christchurch from San Francisco this coming Sunday, bypassing Auckland altogether. This new international flight joins a number of other direct flights to/from Christchurch, including Singapore, four cities in Australia, Dubai, Fiji, and soon Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

Travellers to and from New Zealand should give serious consideration to using Christchurch Airport as their point of entry/exit. I’ve never had the hassles and delays when arriving/departing Australia through Christchurch, and I’m hopeful that experience will be replicated.

Quentin Durward, South Dakota.

Call for cycleways

Alistair Woodward’s article (NZ Herald, December 5) stating that climate change is a serious threat to good health had lots of good and interesting facts. Research has shown best practice bike infrastructure in Auckland would return health benefits 10-25 times the costs involved. Come on Mr Mayor, give us some safe cycleways. Maybe us trendy lefties will get out of our EVs and get back on our bikes?

Dennis Worley, Birkenhead.

Claims are an insult

Many Pākehā New Zealanders positively support Māori New Zealanders’ rights to nurture and grow their language, customs and traditions. The same Pākehā New Zealanders want to see an end to the movement toward co-governance and separatism and voted accordingly in the recent general election thereby mandating the new Government to move in this direction.

To have this mandate described by the leadership of Te Pati Māori as “doing state-sponsored terrorism” is an insult to many Pākehā New Zealanders and, sadly, many Māori New Zealanders.

Mike Donovan, Remuera.

Coverage shows bias

Media gives lots of space to protests against Government policies, but little acknowledgment to the voters who elected our Government. Isn’t the reporting of actions by noisy minorities media bias? Small wonder the media have put themselves in the spotlight.

Stuart Mackenzie, Ōhura.

AI translation of Treaty?

Vinod Khosla says the benefits of Artificial Intelligence outweigh the risks (NZ Herald, December 5). Why don’t we get ChatGPT to interpret the Treaty of Waitangi for us? Machine thinking might eliminate human prejudice.

Arch Thomson, Mt Wellington.

Simple solutions to spending

Auckland Council is in serious financial distress. We identify reckless spending. There is a simple solution: stop spending on projects few people want and focus on what matters — delivering a working reliable public transport system. Please end poor-quality intensification without infrastructure being in place. Rates rises of over 30 per cent are unacceptable. And spending $5 billion to earn $44 million is appalling, so no more think big projects.

Michael Single, Bayswater.

A disease, not a failing

People are calling Wellington Mayor Tori Whanau’s excessive affection for alcohol a character flaw. It’s not. It’s a disease very much like diabetes. Successful treatment involves complete abstinence from alcohol and adherence to a daily regime of quite simple sobriety rituals. Once mastered, recovering alcoholics will, in Abraham Lincoln’s words, “... bear an advantageous comparison with those of any other class”.

Robert Myers, Auckland.

Why change?

Nicola Willis claims “it won’t cost much” to change the naming of Waka Kotahi. Does she not realise that it won’t cost anything if it is left alone? So much for cutting costs.

Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.