A petition circulating in Dunedin calling for a trial of National Standards in schools has attracted more than 1000 signatures in two days.
The petition was launched in Kaitaia and Bluff on February 2 as part of the New Zealand Educational Institute's bus tour around schools throughout the nation.
The petition is addressed to the House of Representatives and says "because we care about children's learning, we respectfully request that National Standards be trialled in our schools before being introduced nationally".
"The standards: are untried and untested; will label children as young as 5 as failures; could result in misleading and damaging school league tables; are not the solution to under-achievement."
Tour co-ordinator Lyndy McIntyre was thrilled that in the two days the tour was in Dunedin this week, she had been able to collect more than 1000 signatures.
"That's just the start of the campaign.
"That's just two days.
"That number will only grow," she said.
"That's a robust figure from Dunedin.
"The vast majority of people who signed the petition are parents."
Copies of the petition had been left at schools to be circulated around their communities, Ms McIntyre said.
The petition would run until the end of May.
