4. MOANA MACKEY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What is the Government doing to ensure that students stay at school?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
The Government is committed to the goal of all students staying at school until they are 16 years of age and they gain a qualification. The programmes that work towards this goal include $20 million a year to fund 18,020 student places in alternative education, 14 activity centres and 16 team parenting units, 782 specialist behaviour teachers and 109 specialist literacy teachers working nationwide, $8.5 million over 3 years to fund the Student Engagement Initiative, and the recently announced—just prior to this coming Budget—$9.5 million to help schools with disruptive students.
How has the Student Engagement Initiative encouraged students to stay at school until 16 and attain qualifications so that they are ready to enter the workforce or go on to further study?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I am pleased to announce that results show that the Student Engagement Initiative is encouraging students to stay at school and to stay engaged with learning. The results show, for example, that truancy rates decreased in 11 out of 15 target regions, early leaving exemption rates have decreased in targeted schools from 541 in 2002 to 350 in 2004, suspension rates have dropped by 30 percent between 2000 and 2005, and suspension for drug offences has decreased by 15 percent. Those excellent programmes mean that young New Zealanders are staying at school, gaining qualifications, and benefiting from the amazingly successful economy that this Government is creating.
Judy TurnerWhat reassurances can the Minister give that New Zealand will meet the needs of new international secondary students, in light of recent Chinese media reports of neglect of international students in New Zealand and the associated drop in Chinese student numbers, and what steps will the Government take to ensure that New Zealand schools insist upon adequate support and age-appropriate supervision for all international students?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As the member will know, one of the initiatives taken by the Government has been to ensure that all providers of international education sign up to a pastoral care code. Unfortunately, one of the problems we face is that there are people who run programmes outside registration and accreditation in this country, and I think that that is one of the issues we do need to get on top of.