Raising achievement goals in NZ education

Hekia Parata.

The Ministerial Cross-Sector Forum on Raising Achievement has agreed to work together on achieving success for all learners. Forum members include representatives from across the education sector.

The Forum, which met for the first time on 25th June 2012, aims to provide collaborative cross-sector leadership and advice to the Minister on a quality achievement programme for education that will help meet the Government’s Better Public Service Targets of 98 per cent of new school entrants having participated in quality early childhood education and 85 per cent of 18 year-olds having achieved NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent qualification over five years.

The Forum will focus on the task of identifying the key issues which must be addressed in four areas: quality teaching; smarter use of achievement information at individual, school and national levels; strengthening the performance and accountability of schools and education agencies for student achievement; and learning environments that are fit for purpose in the 21st century.

Over the coming months the Forum, which includes representatives from primary and secondary schools, early learning and tertiary education sectors, unions, business, academics, iwi and educational experts, will collaborate in small sub groups to identify, clarify, and progress system issues in the four areas.

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training says the number of low-skilled jobs will fall by 51 per cent this decade, while highly skilled jobs will increase only 21 per cent.

Education Minister Hekia Parata is warning we cannot afford to be complacent.

“We know that our education system is amongst the best in the world with four out of five kids successfully working towards getting the qualifications they need at school,” says Ms Parata. “But our goal is about getting five out of five.

Then there are the students who can read and write, but have no qualifications. Last year 31 per cent of students left school without level 2 NCEA, the equivalent of Sixth Form Certificate.

The Government aims to reduce that to 15 per cent by 2016 – an extra 7500 to 10,000 students passing year 11 each year. "There are schools bringing about successful change, there are schools doing reasonably well, and there are schools where we need to see a lift," Parata says.

The number of students achieving level 2 jumped from 59 per cent to 69 per cent between 2006 and 2011, with the biggest increases seen in Maori and Pasifika students, but Parata says that's "not enough".  

“In the Forum we have the expertise and support of the wider education sector. It was great to agree on a common goal of improving education outcomes for every single learner.”

The Forum will meet monthly for the rest of the year.

Forum Membership
Patrick Walsh, President SPANZ
Gary Sweeney, President NZAIMS
Ian Leckie, National President NZEI
Para Meha, President Te Akatea – Maori Principals Associations
Pat Lynch, Chief Executive NZ Catholic Education Office & Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools
Paul Drummond, President New Zealand Principals Federation
Toni Waho, Tumuaki Te Runanganui o Nga Kura Kaupapa Maori
John Garner, President New Zealand Area Schools Association
Lorraine Kerr, President NZSTA
Robin Duff, President PPTA
Stuart Middleton, Director of External Relations Manukau Institute of Technology
Barbara Ala’alatoa, Representative Pacific Principals Association
David Langford, Principal Awapuni School
Anne Meade, Independent Consultant
Elizabeth McKinley, Director Starpath, University of Auckland – Starpath
Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, Trustee, Te Kohanga Reo National Trust
Iva Ropati, Principal Howick College
Nancy Bell, Chief Executive, Te Tari Puna Ora o Aoteroa
Graeme Daniel, President, Special Education Principals Association
Derek Wenmoth, Director of e-Learning, CORE Education Ltd
Barbara Cavanagh, Principal Albany Senior High School
Trevor McIntyre, Headmaster Christchurch Boys High School
Prof Gary Hawke, Victoria University.
Carol Stovold, President New Zealand Home-based Early Childhood Association.
Nadine Wishnowsky, New Zealand Playcentre Federation.