She said: “It’s been a very confusing year, it’s been a very difficult year.” Ms Hanson said that some staff are still frightened about going to school and there had been so many changes. “There’s not one aspect of my job that is not changing, curriculum, assessment, accountability frameworks, the job descriptions of school leaders, ALN bill, that has huge implication,” she said. “It needs funding.”
What did the candidates say in their opening statements? Almost all the candidates mentioned the need for increased funding, in particular to support ALN teaching. Conservative Party candidate Steven Mayfield was the first to set out his views on education.