National MP Erica Stanford has hit back at Labour's Ginny Andersen for calling the controversy over a draft science curriculum a "storm in a teacup".
That document proposes to teach science through five contexts - including the Earth system, biodiversity and infectious diseases. But nowhere in the draft does it mention teaching the basics of science, like physics, chemistry or biology.
In July, the document was sent to multiple teachers for their feedback but some were so worried they leaked it.
Consultation of the curriculum has now been put on hold for the second time as the Ministry of Education waits to engage with the new Government.
Appearing on AM, National education spokesperson Stanford also voiced her frustrations at the so-called "fast draft".
"There have been a number of curriculum changes and drafts put through and they are not, in my opinion and in many expert opinions, up to scratch and the science curriculum was extremely worrying," Stanford told co-host Melissa Chan-Green.
"I looked around the world to try and find any other country that has a science curriculum or any curriculum like that and there was not a single one apart from I think Scotland who had tried it but, otherwise, nobody else does that. It's so important to lay out the core curriculum knowledge and the order that it is to be taught especially in topics like chemistry, biology and physics."
While a government has not yet been formed, Stanford has said in the past the curriculum will be a top priority.
But Labour MP Ginny Andersen believes the outrage was a "storm in a teacup".
"There was always an intention for core areas such as physics, chemistry and biology to be included in that curriculum. So, I do think a bigger meal was made of it than what was ever intended," she said.
"Those are critical areas for young people to learn and we really need here for the focus to be on our young people learning and giving them the best opportunities possible."
"Sorry, that's just completely rubbish. Absolutely, totally, utterly rubbish," Stanford hit back. "It is so important that you lay out the core content knowledge in a curriculum when it comes to subjects like that."
She said New Zealand needs consistency across schools and called the draft an "appalling nightmare".
"I don't think I've spoken to a single science teacher or science head of department that said to me actually you need to turf that out and start again."
Watch the full video for more.
