The Ministry of Education is contacting the trustees of every primary and intermediate school to ask about their stance on National Standards.

Two education researchers are supporting a boycott of the Government's mandatory national standards by 225 primary school boards.

Phil Goff says the "untested" National Standards system the Govt is trying to push through won't succeed and should be delayed.

More than 200 schools are refusing to introduce part of the Government's mandatory national standards next year after voting "no confidence" in the system.

Nearly 900,000 people have taken student loans since the scheme started, and over two-thirds have not fully repaid the money back.

The 20 hours of free care children 3 and over receive in early childhood centres is under review.

Among the 24 state sector CEOs whose performance over the year had been reviewed, six were paid more, five were paid less and 13 stayed the same.

There is no new money to offer teachers a bigger pay increase unless they wanted to burden their students with a future of paying off national debt, says Prime Minister John Key.

More than 120,000 students will be asked to stay at home for a day this week after the teachers' union rejected what the Ministry of Education says is an 'excellent' pay offer.

As teachers reject the Govt's latest pay offer, the Education Minister says they simply don't have the kind of money being asked for.

Leading educationist Professor John Hattie has given a more glowing assessment of the education system than the Government often gives it.

A new national service looks ready to start next year to make sure every 16 or 17-year-old ends up in work or training after leaving school.