Students at Gisborne Girls' High School performing an exam.
Cheating students
As an ex-teacher and former NZQA worker, cheating was always a challenge. When teaching, I had a classic example. Upon marking the answers for a couple of students, I noted their answers were almost identical to the person they had sat beside.
The confirmation of cheating was confirmed when comparing all three papers. The deletions on the answers of the student who was copied were reproduced by each of the cheating students in their answers.
At NZQA when “pen and paper was King”, we had the usual hidden cheating notes, people sitting for someone else, notes hidden in the toilets (but these were rare). Perhaps the answer is to return to pen and paper for exams. It will not stifle creativity, as one of the more original attempts to cheat was the boys who hid notes inside their pants by their fly. They were caught when a supervisor noted their continual staring into their laps. She took them out of the exam room and with teacher help they admitted their efforts at cheating. But they said: “We couldn’t read the notes because it was too dark in our pants.”
One presumes there is even more cheating with internal assessments when there is no teacher or exam supervisor vigilance. Should we look at not having an NZQA qualification based upon internal and external assessments?
Richard Cole, Waipu.
AI strategy
Why is the Government proud it used AI to help write its new Strategy for Artificial Intelligence?
AI is the technology behind fake news, “deep-fake” videos and the creation of fake identities. It is used to write fake answers to exams and to swindle us out of millions of dollars. It is linked to increased depression in young people and the development of robot killing machines.
AI has many downsides as well as upsides. But sadly none of these problems are mentioned in this one-sided strategy document. Perhaps it would have been better if our Minister of Science had relied on science to develop his strategy rather than a machine well-known for producing fakes on demand.
Colin Beardon, Ostend.
Takapuna Golf Course
I write as a retired stormwater engineer, familiar with the flood dynamics of the Wairau Valley. The great need for the lower Wairau is to detain and flatten extreme flood peaks. This requires a lot of flood storage, and the Takapuna Golf Course is the best and probably last remaining place to put it.
But why the enormous wetland? By itself, the proposed wetland will not actually contribute to the kind of flood storage the Wairau needs.
The most efficient way to provide the needed flood storage is with a large “dry pond”. The idea is to temporarily inundate the whole park, for a day or so at most, maybe two or three times a century. The rest of the time, the park remains a golf course. The Sunnynook Reserve, in the upper Wairau, is a brilliant example of this. Completed just in time for the 2023 Anniversary Floods, it worked perfectly.
This wetland idea looks like mission creep. Conceived possibly as an environmental add-on, it seems to have taken over the whole project, which is supposed to be about flooding. Built as shown, it would also be very expensive.
Geoffrey Tremain, West Harbour.
Maybe we need moa?
When I first heard about Peter Jackson’s plan to bring back the moa from its extinction, I thought it was a pretty stupid idea. Now I’m thinking he might be on the right track. After Shane Jones has finished exterminating our unique and treasured wildlife so he can big dig holes in the ground and sell the rewards for 30 pieces of silver, (or what the currency de jour may be), to overseas buyers, there might be a chance some DNA samples will be found to bring what can be resurrected from the debris.
I suspect that in years to come, Jones will be hoping the same process will resurrect his reputation. That might just be a bit too optimistic of him.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Trump’s tariffs
The wilful and harsh actions of the US President over tariffs have destabilised global trade. The tariff actions amount to a crude form of blackmail often aimed at smaller countries. Small countries have little or no leverage in these matters.
And so many of them will be forced to absorb the higher tariffs which will then result in a decline of their exports. Trust in the US has been shattered, and this sorry saga has llustrated the peril of giving one person so much power.
Unfortunately for the world, Donald Trump is a law unto himself. At the end of the day, US voters need to spend a lot more time thinking about their choices in any future presidential elections, riverboat gamblers and candidates who often utter many extravagant statements do not always make for the ideal President of the most powerful country on our troubled planet.
Johann Nordberg, Paeroa.
Flooded homes
Kate Newton’s article stating that flooded homes may no longer be bought out by the government will worry all people working or living in areas prone to flood. It is essential reading for us all as it states in the article “You are on your own!”
This “Climate Plan”, which was slammed as being “morally bankrupt” by emeritus professor Jonathan Boston, reinforces the view that if we want action on anthropogenic climate change mitigation, constant pressure must be applied to our leaders. The problem is mitigation is very expensive and requires global solutions as well as great and inspiring leadership because most of the action required will be very unpopular.
The role we all play (and this includes the media) in the change necessary to reverse what is now so obvious is almost a spiritual move in our values, away from rampant materialistic, selfish, capitalism, to a place where we are all happy to share global resources with justice, requires serious commitment and consultation.
These ridiculous wars must be solved at a global level, this requires reform of the UN to give it the power have an effective peacekeeping force. Locally, we can stay sane by planting billions of native trees and promoting the idea that we are all Kaitiaki O Papatuanuku (guardians of the earth).
Dennis Worley, Birkenhead.
The shocking email Wellington mayoral candidate Ray Chung sent to other councillors is beyond belief and the public will now have a better idea of whether to vote for him. Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau answered the censure with grace and dignity.
Peter Chapman, Warkworth.
Will the Electoral Commission allow a polling booth at the Manurewa Marae for the by-election? Just checking!
Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.
Bringing back pen and paper, and prohibiting the use of any digital device in exams would soon sort out the cheats from the honest students. And for good measure, have retired teachers strategically placed around the room observing. Problem solved.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Red Bull have sacked Christian Horner, why don’t they complete the clean out and get rid of the grumpy 82-year-old Helmut Marko? Helmut must be the grumpiest unhappy looking person in the world. It can’t be a very happy place having him around.
Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.
It’s strange to see that $800,000 of taxpayer money was earmarked to make a film about a person who was arguably one of the least capable Prime Ministers in our history. Yet all the while we are told that organisations such as Pharmac don’t have the funds required for much-needed medicines. So, stop the wastage of public funds and prioritise its use to maximum value for all.
Paul Beck, West Harbour.
Peter Jackson needs to be reminded John Hammond of Jurassic Park is a fictional character and not to become him, dinosaurs and the events in the lab belong in books not modern-day zoos or his desire to bring back the moa. Moas belong in the past gone but not forgotten.
Chris Mann, Mount Albert.
The Greens claim the money spent on bringing back the moa would be better spent trying to save endangered species, requires critical scrutiny. It appears to me being deceased was about as endangered as you can get!
Rob Sintes, Glendowie.
Andy Moles hasn't held back about Brendon McCullum and other ex-Black Caps in a new book.