Key Findings

• New Zealand spent 6.3% of our GDP on education in 2017, ranking us 2nd within the OECD.¹
• Nearly three-quarters of New Zealand Year 7 to 10 teachers say they would become teachers again (2018), similar to the OECD average of 76%.
• New Zealand sits above the OECD average in terms of our rates of early childhood enrolment for children under the age of three (2018).
• New Zealand is above the OECD average for students completing upper secondary school within the expected duration of three years (2018).
• A quarter of 25-34 year-olds in New Zealand have a vocational certificate as their highest qualification, which is above the OECD average (2019).
• The 2019 unemployment rates of 25-34 year-olds with vocational certificates were lower in New Zealand than the OECD average.
• In 2018 international students made up about 20% of all diploma level and above students in New Zealand. The OECD average was 6%.
• 96% of all young adults who complete a bachelor’s or equivalent are in employment less than two years after graduating compared to the OECD average of 80% (2019).
• Regardless of education level, the proportion of New Zealand adults who feel that New Zealand’s political system allows people like them to have some say about what the government does is higher than the OECD average (2016).

Footnote

1. A previous version of the New Zealand summary report incorrectly stated that spending 6.3% of our GDP on education ranks us 3rd within the OECD. This has now been corrected.