A right wing think-tank has thrown heavy criticism at our education system, but one principal says their criticism is wrong. 

A New Zealand Initiative report says educators are deluded in thinking teachers should let children direct what they want to learn about.

It calls for a more detailed curriculum specifying what children should learn at each level, and standardised national assessments.

Author Briar Lipson says children need direct specific instruction.

She says when you get to become an expert, it's entirely appropriate for people to learn independently -- but she says we're doing children a disservice if we suggest they're experts.

However, President of the New Zealand's Principals Federation Perry Rush told Heather du Plessis-Allan that the criticism is wrong.

"I don't think there is any evidence that they can base a criticism of child-direction on."

He says there is a clear sense that children should be involved in their learning, and it's what makes our approach special. 

The NZI report says that this is why we are slipping down the international rankings, but Rush says those rankings are based on certain assessments - and those assessments tend to be immersed in prescribed curriculums. 

"If you teach to the test, you are likely to do well in that test."

• 'Child-centred' teaching blamed for NZ's educational decline