Pollies: "Social experiment stuff" - Ministers clash over curriculum, education policy

Labour says schools need more flexibility around teaching reading, writing, and maths to make room for critical thinking. 

Leader Chris Hipkins confirmed at last night's leaders' debate Labour wouldn't require schools to teach an hour a day of each subject if elected. 

National introduced the mandate in its first 100 days. 

Labour's education spokesperson Ginny Andersen told Mike Hosking the Government's reforms haven't put children at the centre. 

She says politicians shouldn't be deciding how kids learn. 

National's Mark Mitchell hit out at the party's stance, saying the party needs to keep their weird social experiments away from kids, and just let them learn maths and read for an hour a day.  

LISTEN ABOVE