More students leaving school with NCEA Level 2

Education Minister Hekia Parata says the final NCEA results show more students are leaving school having achieved NCEA Level 2.

The 2012 results show that 74.3 per cent of school leavers achieved NCEA Level 2 last year compared to 72.4 per cent in 2011.

That’s a 10.1 per cent increase since 2009.

The results show:

• 54.6 per cent of Māori school leavers achieved NCEA Level 2 compared to 45.7 per cent in 2009
• 64.8 per cent of Pasifika school leavers achieved NCEA Level 2 compared to 56.5 per cent in 2009
• 79.6 per cent of European/Pākehā school leavers achieved NCEA Level 2 compared to 72.7 per cent in 2009
• 87 per cent of Asian school leavers achieved NCEA Level 2 compared to 82.6 per cent in 2009

“These results are a great reflection on the work our teachers do with students and their families and show the measures our Government is taking to raise achievement are working.

“We have seen some great lifts in some of the regions like West Coast which had a 29.3 per cent increase in school leavers achieving NCEA Level 2 since 2009, and Gisborne which had a 15.4 per cent increase in school leavers achieving NCEA Level 2 since 2009. That is just brilliant and I would, again, like to acknowledge the teaching profession and leaders in those regions for achieving this lift – and the children themselves.

“Evidence shows that having NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent qualification allows better opportunities for further education, employment, and an improved quality of life generally.

“That’s why we have set a Better Public Service target of 85 per cent of all 18 year-olds having achieved NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent qualification in 2017.”

Ms Parata says while the general picture for New Zealand is positive, there are disparities when different groups of school leavers are compared.

“Māori and Pasifika leavers are often not achieving as highly as their peers and girls consistently out perform boys. Our challenge is to get everyone of our kids across the line.’’