In reality, I don't think the solution is a political one. I don't think national standards are to blame for it—I don't think they fixed it, but I don't think they are to blame for it. I think the drivers behind our literacy and numeracy problems in New Zealand are many, varied, and complex, and those who aim to have the one magical solution to them are generally providing people with this false promise that will never be realised because there is a lot more that sits underneath that.