1.   The Patten plan, detailed in a Government draft circular, risks further heightening confrontation with teachers already boycotting national curriculum tests.

2.   MORE than half a million children have been spared three hours of national curriculum maths tests today.

3.   On the state curriculum test given last year to sixth- and eighth-grade students, more than half failed the math and Language Arts portions.

4.   Students failing the state curriculum test would get extra help before taking it a second time.