Labour's stance has brought praise from the educational sector union NZEI and the Principals' Federation - both of which believe it's an unwanted and unnecessary system.
Labour is not alone in its opposition to National Standards. The Green Party and Mana both say they will get rid of the system while United Future says it's "broadly supportive" but the system has been "poorly conceived, inaccurately portrayed, badly communicated and hastily implemented".
Early Childhood Education is another area where votes are likely to be determined this election and has been a hot topic at community meetings.
National has been criticised by the sector for cutting funding to centres with more than 80 per cent fully-qualified staff - which triggered fee increases in many centres.
There have also been fears about the future of 20 hours of funded care.
National and Labour have said they will keep 20 Hours ECE and fee controls but only Labour and the Greens have promised to restore the 100 per cent qualified teacher target.
At school level, United Future and the Greens say they will address the size of classes - something that has become a major issue for teachers who voted at PPTA's annual meeting to try to address this through a public awareness campaign and by reintroducing it in the next pay negotiations.
United Future said the ratio for Year 1 students should be dropped to one teacher for every 15 students, Years 2 and 3 dropped to 1:22 and Years 4-8 to 1:25. The Greens want a maximum of 20 students per class.
At a secondary level, Labour plans to invest $75 million over four years in e-learning for 31,000 Year 7-13 students in low decile schools - a move that's been welcomed but also criticised for not going far enough.
The Maori Party wants to make te reo compulsorily in schools by 2015 but says students wouldn't be compelled to take the subject.
It wants to implement financial literacy as a core component from Year 7.
National said it would invest $1 billion to modernise and transform schools.
Two parties want to completely review education with the Greens promising to hold a commission of inquiry into how well we are doing while Mana says it will review the way education is delivered to "find better ways of engaging learners so they are best prepared for the world".
At a tertiary level, parties have mixed views on things such as students loans and fees.
Act wants to reintroduce interest on student loans, Mana wants to reduce and eventually end tertiary fees while United Future believes there should be free tertiary education instead of student allowances.
The Greens, Labour, Maori Party and United Future all say they will reinstate recent cuts to the Training Incentive Allowance.
Labour also promises to reinstate $13 million worth of Adult & Community Education funding and refugee and migrant study grants, worth $1 million per annum.
Highlights
National
Protect 20 Hours ECE and fee controls. Increase participation for children who are missing out.
Labour
Protect 20 hours' ECE and fee controls. Free ECE for 5 per cent most vulnerable toddlers. Drop National Standards.
Greens
Drop National Standards. Reinstate ECE target to 100 per cent qualified teachers.
Act
Encourage choice in assessment systems. Further increase subsidy for independent schools.
Maori Party
Consider compulsory ECE. All schools to offer Te Reo but students don't have to take it.
Mana
Free ECE for low and middle income families. Abolish National Standards.
United Future
Expand ECE programmes like PAFT and HIPPY. Introduce a minimum number of standards that must be externally assessed for NCEA.
