Foreword

Social Studies in the New Zealand Curriculum is the core statement for the Social Sciences, one of the seven essential learning areas identified in The New Zealand Curriculum Framework. The statement provides a clear indication of the Ministry's expectations for students' achievement in social studies from year 1 to year 13. Programmes based on Social Studies in the New Zealand Curriculum will provide students with relevant knowledge, essential skills, and experience in using important processes for the new millennium.

This statement defines, in English, the aims and achievement objectives required to deliver social studies education in New Zealand schools. A parallel statement in Māori, Tikanga Iwi, is under development and will be released in its final form towards the end of 1998.

Social studies helps students to understand their world and gives them the skills and knowledge to play their part in society. This statement focuses on the study of society and of human activity in the contexts of continuity, change, and contemporary issues. Students will be able to investigate and explore important social issues, make decisions, work cooperatively, and build their knowledge of their history, their land, and their society.

Social studies is important to the whole community. It emphasises the skills and processes involved in social participation, which, along with the prescribed settings and perspectives, will help students to become informed, confident, and effective citizens. Students will be challenged to think clearly and critically about human behaviour and to explore different values and viewpoints. An emphasis is placed on learning about New Zealand society and the countries and regions that have significance for New Zealand.

This statement is the result of extensive debate about and consideration of the aims and purposes of social studies and the best way of implementing them in our classrooms. Two draft statements have been released and have generated a wide range of responses. These responses have been carefully analysed and have informed the development of this final national curriculum statement. The implementation of the earlier national curriculum statements (for mathematics, science, English, and technology) has also provided information that has been useful in the development of this statement.

I am grateful to all the people who have contributed to the development of this curriculum statement, many of whom gave freely of their time, expertise, and experience.

Howard Fancy
Secretary for Education