Hon Chris Carter
Minister of Education
22 July 2008 Media Statement
School suspensions hit 8-year low
Suspension rates in New Zealand schools have hit an eight year low, Education Minister Chris Carter announced today.
The figures have been published in the Ministry of Education’s annual Student Engagement Report, which tracks
suspensions, stand-downs, expulsions and exclusions.
The report released today shows that both total numbers and calculated rates continue to fall.
“Schools are making use of a wide range of resources available to them and have been successfully improving student
engagement by reducing the levels of unacceptable student behaviour.
“While suspensions are sometimes necessary, every suspension means time out of school for a student, and therefore lost
learning opportunities,” Chris Carter said.
The age standardised suspension rate has decreased by 17 per cent since 2000 including a 6.1 per cent reduction from
2006 to 2007.
“Suspension, stand-down, expulsion and exclusion rates are continuing to fall. Principals and teachers welcoming back
students for the beginning of Term 3 can be very proud of the progress they have made over the past eight years.”
Chris Carter was especially pleased with the success of the Ministry of Education’s Student Engagement Initiative (SEI)
in helping schools tackle the issues that lead to disciplinary action in the first place.
“Schools targeted in the SEI have collectively halved their suspension rates since 2000. As further proof of the
effectiveness of this initiative, the rate of suspensions among Pasifika students plunged by 17 per cent in the year
following an SEI focus on these students.
Chris Carter also acknowledged that although rates of suspensions, stand-downs and exclusions were still too high for
Maori and Pasifika students, and for boys, the report does show that a concerted effort by schools supported by the
Ministry can make a difference.
ENDS
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