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.

The Ministry of Education says it will not dock the pay of secondary teachers striking this week as a show of good faith.

Anne Tolley says secondary school teachers striking over pay and conditions need to wake up to the economic reality of their situation.

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.

Secondary school sex education lessons have certainly undergone a change over the years.

Many schools are not demonstrating sufficient commitment to ensuring achievement of Maori students, ERO has warned

Anne Tolley yesterday told teachers she would be 'appalled' if they told parents their children were failing National Standards.

Much of Hoffman's writing is rich in symbolism and fantasy, and her latest novel, The Story Sisters, is no exception.