State of Education in New Zealand: 2006 Publications
Publication Details
This report is the first in an annual series. It pulls together existing education indicators on participation, achievement, effective teaching, labour market outcomes and resourcing across the early childhood, schooling and tertiary sectors.
Author(s): Strategy and System Performance, Ministry of Education
Date Published: December 2006
Summary
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 1). Accessibility, including affordability, does not appear to be a systemic problem (see Chapter 2).
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 4).
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 8). More secondary students are leaving school with qualifications than in previous years (see Chapter 9).
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 11) while qualification completion rates have been maintained (see Chapter 12).
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 6 and 7).
Downloads
- State of Education 2006 Executive Summary [PDF 333KB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 1 (Early Childhood) [PDF 535KB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 2 (Schooling) [PDF 992KB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 3 (Tertiary) [PDF 531KB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 4 (Labour Market) [PDF 510KB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 5 (Funding) [PDF 440KB]
- State of Education 2006: Appendices [PDF 680KB]
- State of Education 2006: Executive Summary [MS Word 3.2MB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 1 (Early Childhood) [MS Word 4.6MB]
- State of Education 2006 - Chapter 2 (Schooling) [MS Word ZIP 7.7MB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 3 (Tertiary) [MS Word 6.1MB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 4 (Labour Market) [MS Word 5.3MB]
- State of Education 2006: Chapter 5 (Funding) [MS Word 4.0MB]
- State of Education 2006: Appendices [MS Word 2.4MB]
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