Students on track to better target ahead of time

Projections showing students are on track to surpass challenging educational targets almost two years ahead of schedule have been hailed by Education Minister Hekia Parata.

“In today’s world kids need meaningful qualifications to make the most of their talents and opportunities,” says Ms Parata. “These figures show more young New Zealanders than ever before are entering adulthood with the skills and tools they need to succeed.”

The projections are based on provisional NCEA data for last year and historical trends. They suggest that the number of 18-year-olds with NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent qualification increased by 3.2 percentage points to 84.4 per cent last year.

“This is a massive achievement for our kids, parents, teachers and the wider community,” says Ms Parata. “When we took office in 2008 just 68 per cent of 18-years had NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent. The 24 percent increase in achievement since 2008 means 7600 more young people are equipped to succeed this year than seven years ago.”

The provisional data shows the largest gains have been made by Māori and Pasifika students up 62 percent and 54 per cent to 72.3 per cent and 79.1 per cent respectively since 2008. However, because Māori and Pasifika students started from a lower base they have further to go to achieve the Government’s target of 85 per cent achievement by 2017.

“We are redoubling our efforts to help them get there,” says Ms Parata.

Attachment

NCEA table