John Gerritsen

The government's sweeping - and controversial - changes to the education system are not over yet.

A government bill will force schools to take part in global maths and reading tests and speed up intervention in failing schools.

The Education Review Office says the government should consider going a step further and also block access to social media during school hours. Audio

Secondary schools will have to work a lot closer with polytechnics and employers to realise the government's goals for its new "vocational subjects", say industry leaders.

The Education Minister said she wanted vocational subjects to be valued as highly as academic ones.

Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds says she is seeking extra funding so new industry bodies can investigate the low completion rates.

One New Zealand university told its staff all universities in New Zealand and Australia would "lose some degree of access" to the publisher's 1600 titles from the start of next year.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour initially told reporters the trust did exist, but his office later clarified he meant the school's sponsor existed.

Some school boards made public statements reiterating their commitment to the Treaty.

One says upholding the treaty is the right thing to do and part of its "civic responsibility".

Being extroverted or emotionally stable doesn't help with employability as much in this country as it does in most others.

Teacher subject associations are being offered contracts worth more than $100,000 a year - but only if they agree to support the new school curriculum.

The contract would see a secondary school with a focus on young athletes in Years 11-13 established in Trentham, near Wellington, next year.

In its annual report the Education Review Office criticised the lack of support for under-performing schools and called for "stronger consequences" for those that did not demonstrate progress.

Ten education sector organisations are speaking out together against government changes.

Erica Stanford rated the ministry 7/10 for its oversight of the education system, up from 3/10 the previous year.

The Education Ministry says they contain less Māori because they are more specific. Audio

The minister had been moving to change the requirement, but has announced it will remove it altogether.

Secondary school exams start on Monday, but some students could be asked to stay home due to the measles outbreak.

The new school curriculum makes Māori people, knowledge and culture invisible and prioritises European knowledge, say Māori education leaders.

The draft curriculum documents are old fashioned, sideline Māori knowledge, and appear to be written by foreign contractors, say critics.

In total, at least 34,800 teenagers failed the tests.

Maths education experts say recent changes to the maths curriculum "seem more political than educational".

Term-time holidays remain the main attendance challenge facing most schools.

But the Education Review Office report reveals overall attitudes to truancy have improved. Audio