Education Sector Indicators FAQs

• What is an indicator?
• Why have education sector indicators?
• How can I get evidence about effective influences on these outcomes?
• How often will education sector indicators be updated?
• Can I look at the education sector indicators for a group of the population that I am interested in?
• Can New Zealand's performance be compared to other countries?
• Who develops and maintains education sector indicators?
• How can I find out more about the education sector indicators?

What is an indicator?

Indicators are established measures used to determine how well a result has been achieved in a particular area of interest. For example, the rate of formal school qualifications helps quantify whether kids are succeeding at school.

Indicators can focus on:

• an input, such as proportion of GDP spent by the government on education
• an activity (or output), such as truancy rates
• an outcome, such as tertiary education graduation rates.

Indicators are usually expressed as an index or a ratio.

Why have education sector indicators?

The set of education sector indicators has been developed to help assess and monitor the 'health' of education in New Zealand. The indicators focus on the outcomes of education and training, and the important influences on those outcomes.

Indicators assist us to identify key strengths and weaknesses in the education sector and monitor the progress, or lack of progress, being made towards key educational goals.

How can I get evidence about effective influences on these outcomes?

Research and evaluation are key activities undertaken to obtain evidence about what does or doesn't lead to improved education and training outcomes. The Ministry of Education undertakes and funds extensive research and evaluation. Research reports are available from the Publications page.

Research centres involved in New Zealand focused education research and evaluation are available from the Links page.

Education Counts provides links to a series of best evidence syntheses (BES) that have been commissioned by the Ministry of Education. The best evidence syntheses approach is being developed in collaboration with researchers across New Zealand. It draws together in a systematic way the available evidence about what works to improve education outcomes and aims to contribute to an ongoing evidence-based discourse amongst policy makers, educators and researchers. References to relevant BESs are included in the Indicators.

How often will education sector indicators be updated?

Most indicators will be updated annually, when the data they are derived from become available. This means not all indicators will be updated at the same time.

For a small number of indicators, data are obtained from surveys that are undertaken every three to four years. These indicators will be updated when information becomes available.

Can I look at education sector indicators for a group of the population that I am interested in?

Yes. The analysis and discussion of the indicators will note significant differences between different population groups. Ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic differences are all routinely considered.

Where data are available, indicators are associated with data tables. These data tables allow the indicator to be reproduced for specific sub-groups of the population.

Can New Zealand's performance be compared to other countries?

Yes. The education sector indicators have been developed using international standards, assisting international comparison.

Some of the education sector indicators are based on international surveys of which New Zealand is a participant, while other indicators are defined in line with international definitions. This allows comparison with other countries. Comparisons are included in the analysis and discussion of the indicator.

Some indicators that have been developed may not be comparable with international data because they are defined to meet New Zealand's needs. Where this occurs comparisons with other countries have been made, where possible, by also producing the indicator using international definitions.

Throughout the education sector indicators web pages there are links provided to websites where international comparisons can be reviewed.

Who develops and maintains education sector indicators?

The education sector indicators were developed by the Ministry of Education. Many indicators are based on international best practice. Other indicators were developed in conjunction with the education sector to monitor key policy directions, such as the Tertiary Education Strategy.

The Ministry of Education maintains the education sector indicators.

How can I find out more about the education sector indicators?

If you have a specific question about the education sector indicators you can send an e-mail to the Ministry of Education.

Alternatively you can write to the Ministry of Education directly: