The new figures showing a 3.5 percent rise in Pasifika and 2 percent rise in Māori 16 year olds achieving NCEA Level 2 shows we are moving in the right direction, however this is just the beginning, says BusinessNZ.

Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly says the results are an encouraging start, but there is still a lot of underdeveloped potential, and an urgent need for more innovative and collaborative approaches.

“In order to continue to improve learning outcomes, we need to create more learning options that both engage and provide young people with the basis for their future education, training and employment.

“Initiatives like Youth Guarantee and Trade Academies are making progress by providing a range of more engaging learning options. However, these only options are available for a limited number of senior secondary school aged students. We want all education providers to be held accountable for their achievement performance. Funding flexibility is needed to support and reward innovative and collaborative learning options that meet all students’ needs in fulfilling their potential.

“The Vocational Pathways, launched last week is a start, but we need to ensure there is on-going support in implementing these pathways in our secondary schools. This includes the professional development of teachers, heads of departments and school leaders, and leveraging technology to make education relevant, especially in science, technology and maths.

“As part of the pursuit of Better Public Service targets, it’s important that young New Zealanders achieve a quality NCEA Level 2 and have a strong foundation of key skills such as literacy, numeracy, problem solving, critical thinking and team work. These skills are an essential component in ensuring that the New Zealand of tomorrow is productive, sustainable and competitive.”

Contact: Phil O’Reilly 04 496 6554 or Stephanie Moakes 021 959 831

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