KEY POINTS:
National's new ten-point plan to raise children's literacy and numeracy skills is being criticised as too light on detail.
The plan - dubbed a "crusade" at its launch yesterday by National leader John Key - would boost funding to schools by $47 million annually.
It would require every primary and intermediate school pupil to be assessed regularly against national standards in literacy and numeracy, with parents told in "plain English" how their child was performing.
It would increase prosecution of parents of persistent truants and raise funding for special education.
Frances Nelson, president of primary teachers' union the New Zealand Educational Institute, said the literacy and numeracy plan supported programmes and initiatives already in place but there was little in it that was new.
"Saying a crusade is being launched is overstating the situation."
Ms Nelson said the institute wanted more detail, particularly on the pledge forextra support for underperforming schools.
Auckland Primary Principals Association president Owen Alexander said schools welcomed any extra funding but the lack of detail made the plan hard to assess.
National's education spokeswoman, Anne Tolley, said national standards would probably be similar to those being developed to help schools implement the new curriculum.
She said the particulars would be worked out in consultation with the sector after the election if National was in power.
The party planned to launch more of its education policy in coming weeks.
