Publication of performance data a milestone for Pacific Education

BEST Pacific Institute of Education (BEST) has congratulated the government on its publication of performance indicators, which for the first time provide an accurate representation of student achievement across the entire tertiary sector.
“The published information will help the government to direct resources where they are most effectively used, and this is good news for Pacific people” said BEST director Anita Finnigan. 
“Quality information is essential, as the proportion of Pacific people in the working age population is expected to double by the year 2026. We have enjoyed working with the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) over the past few months to ensure that the information presented is as accurate as possible,” Ms Finnigan said.
“The challenge of improving Pacific education performance can only be addressed with proper information about where Pacific students are studying, their rate of progression to higher level courses, and the providers that are helping Pacific students to achieve.
“Other studies have focused on the performance of Pasifika in universities, studying degree level qualifications.  While achievement at this level is important, we need better information about the performance of providers and students at certificate and diploma level” Ms Finnigan said.
“The majority of Pacific students come to tertiary education with no formal qualifications, and must progress through lower levels of study in order to achieve success in higher education.”
The information published by the TEC shows that only six per cent of university students and eight per cent of polytechnic students are of Pacific ethnicity, whereas they make up 17 per cent of students at private tertiary providers.  It also provides detailed information about each provider, and their contribution to Pacific education in NZ.
The 2010-2015 Tertiary Education Strategy makes ‘increasing the number of Pasifika students achieving at higher levels’ a priority of the government.  Anita Finnigan stated that the scope and accuracy of the information gathered and published by the TEC provide a strong foundation for ensuring that the government’s priority is achieved.