State of Education in New Zealand: 2006

Overview

Participation in early childhood education (ECE) contributes to a child’s later development and future learning. The number of children attending early childhood education services, and the time they spend in these, have been steadily increasing for all children across all ethnic groups over the past 15 years (SEE CHAPTER ONE). Accessibility, including affordability, does not appear to be a systemic problem (SEE CHAPTER TWO).

Primary schooling builds on the concepts gained in early childhood. Young New Zealanders are, as a whole, performing as well as or better than their peers internationally (SEE CHAPTER FOUR).

Similarly, secondary schooling builds on the achievements of primary schooling. The knowledge and skills young New Zealanders gain at secondary school are critical to their likelihood of successful participation in tertiary education and/or future employment. International studies show that New Zealand secondary school students perform at a high level compared with students from other countries (SEE CHAPTER EIGHT). More secondary students are leaving school with qualifications than in previous years (SEE CHAPTER NINE).

Participation in tertiary education allows people to develop the knowledge and skills to live in a modern society and knowledge-based economy. Participation in tertiary education opens up career opportunities, and has a range of positive impacts on income, standards of living, and health. New Zealand’s open tertiary system and flexible learning opportunities for people to study have helped see a substantial increase in enrolments (SEE CHAPTER ELEVEN) while qualification completion rates have been maintained (SEE CHAPTER TWELVE).

While the general education picture for New Zealand is very positive, there are disparities when different groups of the population are compared. Generally early childhood education services and schools that draw their children/students from communities with the greatest socio-economic disadvantage have the worst rates for participation, numeracy and literacy, and qualification attainment. Similarly, Māori and Pasifika students often have worse results than their peers, which mirror the over-representation of Māori and Pasifika in socio-economically disadvantaged communities.

Over recent years Māori and Pasifika students and students from low socio-economic communities have tended to improve at relatively higher rates than other groups, for early childhood education participation, numeracy and literacy, and schooling qualifications, implying disparities are reducing.

Retention of students who ‘engage’ with their schooling communities has positive effects on their future education and employment. Students who disengage from schooling, and in particular leave school early, face a life time of disadvantage. Students from socio-economically disadvantaged communities and Māori students have relatively poor rates of school participation and engagement (SEE CHAPTERS SIX AND SEVEN).

Downloads

State of Education in New Zealand: 2006 - Individual Parts

Foreword and Introduction  Introduction [PDF, file size: 333KB] Part 1 - Early Childhood Education Chapters 1 to 3  Early Childhood [PDF, file size: 535KB] Part 2 - Schooling Chapters 4 to 10  Schooling [PDF, file size: 992KB] Part 3 - Tertiary Chapters 11 to 14  Tertiary [PDF, file size: 531KB] Part 4 - Labour Market Chapters 15 to 17  Labour Market [PDF, file size: 510KB] Part 5 - Funding Chapters 18 to 19  Funding [PDF, file size: 440KB] Part 6 - Appendicies Glossary, Technical Notes, Bibliography  Appendicies [PDF, file size: 680KB]

State of Education in New Zealand: 2006 - Individual Parts in MS Word

Foreword and Introduction Introduction Part 1 - Early Childhood Education Chapters 1 to 3 Early Childhood Part 2 - Schooling Chapters 4 to 10 Schooling Part 3 - Tertiary Chapters 11 to 14 Tertiary Part 4 - Labour Market Chapters 15 to 17 Labour Market Part 5 - Funding Chapters 18 to 19 Funding Part 6 - Appendicies Glossary, Technical Notes, Bibliography Appendicies

Related Education Counts Documents

See State of Education in New Zealand publication home page.

The education indicators presented in the State of Education in New Zealand: 2006 are available from the Indicators home page.

Statistics on early childhood education, schooling and tertiary education are available from the Statistics pages.

There are a number of publications that provide more detailed analysis around the topics discussed in State of Education in New Zealand: 2006. These are available from the Publications home page.