The Ministry of Education is being criticised for its new draft of the science curriculum.

The proposal doesn't appear to list physics and chemistry, but instead focuses on climate change, biodiversity, the food-energy-water nexus, and infectious diseases.

New Zealand Initiative senior fellow Michael Johnston told Heather du Plessis-Allan that teachers shouldn't be expected to fill in gaps given there are other challenges like staff shortages.

Johnston says teachers have to rely on a curriculum document to guide them, and this one will take them up the garden path.

He says he hopes the Ministry will back down from this proposed curriculum.

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