1. Hon MARIAN HOBBS (Labour—Wellington Central) Link to this
to the Minister for Tertiary Education
Has he received any reports on the proportion of New Zealanders holding a tertiary qualification?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister for Tertiary Education) Link to this
Yes, I have. The Ministry of Education advises me that almost 40 percent of all New Zealanders—all New Zealanders—now hold a tertiary education qualification, compared with 25 percent a decade ago. Similarly, about 14 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification, compared with just 8 percent around a decade ago.
Has the Minister seen any reports that demonstrate how much easier it has become to learn on the job?
Yes; the figures speak for themselves. Since 2000, workplace learning has more than doubled, from about 80,000 trainees per year in 2000 to about 180,000 trainees per year—[ Interruption]
Madam SPEAKERPlease be seated. We are at the beginning of question time, so I just ask members to respect each other in the House. Some members may wish to hear the answers to the questions, and the questions being put, so please be considerate of others.
Since 2000 workplace learning has more than doubled, from about 80,000 trainees per year in 2000 to about 180,000 trainees per year in 2006.
Hon Brian Donnelly Link to this
Will the Minister confirm that in 1990 New Zealand had the second-lowest tertiary participation rate of the 24 OECD countries, and that the “bums on seats” policies of the 1990s, which were put in place to rectify the situation, took us to fifth in the OECD but did not create close alignment with the economic and social needs of the nation?
I can confirm precisely that history. We were second lowest—above Turkey—as I recall. We were then fifth highest, as the member suggests. But we have some issues around quality, which is why the legislation going through the House at the moment is so very, very important.
Metiria Turei