1. MOANA MACKEY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What reports has he received on the performance of New Zealand schools?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister for Economic Development) Link to this
The Schools Report 2004 shows that the proportion of students leaving school with a level 3 qualification or scholarship has increased by nearly 20 percent, to nearly one-third of all school-leavers. The proportion of school-leavers with little or no attainment has dropped by 30 percent, to one-eighth of all school-leavers, over a 3-year period.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
The report states that most schools are in a good financial position, with 92 percent of schools having a healthy working capita ratio. Government funding of schools was increased by 7.4 percent per student in 2004, making us the third-highest spender on schools in the OECD. Locally raised funds increased by 2.6 percent per student, which is more or less the rate of inflation.
Hon Bill EnglishCan the Minister tell the House what proportion of students leaving year 8—that is, primary and intermediate schools—has sufficient literacy and numeracy to allow them to make progress at secondary school?
Is the Minister aware that if he approaches the Parliamentary Library or the Ministry of Education, he will find that there is no information at all on what proportion of students leaving primary and intermediate schools is sufficiently literate and numerate to progress at secondary school?
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
E ai ki tā te Ripoata ā-Tau o Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, e rua tekau pai hēneti o ngā tauira kei te ngoikore i ngā kaupapa mātauranga. He ake ngā kaupapa ka whāia e te Kāwanatanga hei whakatikatika i tēnei tū āhua. Kei te whakaaro rānei te Kāwanatanga he pai kē ake te hanga whare herehere mō ēnei tauira?
[According to the Annual Report of the Education Review Office, 20 percent of students are “currently not succeeding in our education system”. What is the Government proposing to put into place to address this situation? Or does the Government think that much more will be gained by building prisons for students like these?]
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
I am very surprised that that member asked that question, given the enormous amount of work he did before he came to Parliament towards making progress for Māori students, who are a big part of that group. He knows that Māori literacy rates are much better now, as a result of the work that he and others have done in the last 5 years.