10. PAULA BENNETT (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
Does he stand by his statement that “This Government is delivering a better education system”; if so, why?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
Yes, and I thank the member for the opportunity to highlight some of the things that have taken place since 1999: 5,000 extra teachers in classrooms, an extra $4 billion, the introduction of 20 free hours’ education for 3 to 4-year-olds, the provision of laptops for every teacher, the provision of broadband access and free software licences for every school, the reduced number of students leaving school with no qualification, the introduction of the Modern Apprenticeships scheme, the dramatically increased funding for industry training, and significant rises in participation in tertiary education. Time means that I cannot go on any longer, but if any member wishes for an extension of time, can he or she please ask another question.
If this Government is delivering a better education system, why do 9,600 students every year—according to the Minister’s report on the compulsory school sector in New Zealand—drop out of school with no qualification and without even the most basic literacy and numeracy skills?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
In answer to the primary question, I was going to say that I am sure that the member is about to rise to point out that there is more work to be done in our system, and I fully agree with that. But I would say to the member that after nearly 9 years of a Labour-led Government, the results are there, they speak for themselves, and we hope to remain here to do more work in the future.
Dianne YatesHow does the implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) fit within the Government’s overall game of improving our education system; and what recent reports has he received on NCEA’s success?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The introduction of NCEA is one of the more important things that has happened over recent years to meet the needs of this century’s young learners. NCEA is designed to ensure we recognise what students can do and how well they can do it. It also helps us recognise where they need more help. It provides a greater level of detail, in other words, on student achievement, and, of course, it has been very strongly supported by employers. I have received a recent report that states that 90 percent of school principals support NCEA, and the majority of teachers and school trustees support it, as well. The report found that NCEA motivates low-achieving students to do better, and very few people have argued for a return to the old system.
What reports has the Minister received on the number of students leaving school without any formal qualifications, and how are the policies of this Government actually encouraging students to stay at school longer?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The number of students leaving school with little or no formal attainment has halved between 1999 and 2006. As recent research has highlighted, the introduction of NCEA is helping to motivate students who were previously left behind. We have also introduced programmes such as Gateway, and more recently we have piloted a new Youth Apprenticeships programme, which will give students the opportunity to link their learning to real, on-the-job experience. There will always be more improvements to be made and I would join with the member in saying that we want to carry on doing that, and we are looking forward to doing so.
Why will one of every three 15-year-old males and one of every four 15-year-old females not have even basic literacy and numeracy skills after 10 years in the education system, and why, to quote the Minister’s own report, will most of this group leave study after their first senior secondary year?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As the member will know, for achievement we compare very well with systems all around the world, but we share the same problem that all systems have, which is that we have some students who underachieve. That is the task before us. There has been massive improvement over the last 9 years, but, of course, we need to continue that. I say to the member that there is obviously a complex range of reasons why students underachieve. It may be to do with their health, family background, or school. But what we do know is that this Government is making a real difference.
Allan PeacheyHow has the learning of children in New Zealand school classrooms today been improved as a result of the reported $94 million salary blowout at the Ministry of Education, where the salaries of bureaucrats—not schoolteachers—have skyrocketed by 154 percent since 2002?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
A former principal who gets the figures so stunningly wrong could perhaps take over from Lane Nichols at the Dominion Post. Lane Nichols, for example, says that 200 people have joined the staff at the Ministry of Education. The figure is actually 2,000—I know that a zero is easy to miss, but he missed it. Those people are special education staff, who have been brought under the Ministry of Education. As a result of their coming in, their wages have come in as well. It would be helpful to the member if he had a look at our website when he pops back to his office. He will see, for example, that the average salary of Ministry of Education staff has actually gone down. The number of people who are on over $100,000 is exactly the same as previously. The report in the paper—I am sorry to say—is totally wrong. It is a shame, because these are dedicated public servants doing a great job of serving this country, and they deserve better reporting than that.
How far would that $94 million go towards addressing the problem coming out of the advice that the Minister gave to me in his answer to question for written answer No. 16928 (2007) that there is “a lack of trained reading recovery teachers willing to teach reading recovery in our lowest-decile schools”, and the advice that the Minister gave in his answer to question for written answer No. 15713 (2007) that, compared with 1999, there are now 4,000 fewer reading-recovery hours in our schools?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Once again, one of the things I would have hoped a person who has been in the education system would know is that schools choose the reading programme they want to use. People have made different kinds of decisions about how they will address issues of reading in their school. I go back to the point I made before, because the member did not seem to listen. He is still using the $94 million figure, as if I had confirmed it. I want to confirm for him and the House that the report is totally wrong. If he has a look at my website when he goes back to his office, he will see the real figures.
Madam SPEAKER