Hon Parekura Horomia
Minister for Maori Affairs
Associate Minister for Education
24 July 2008 Media Statement
Maori students continue NCEA improvement
The number of Maori students leaving school with little or no formal attainment has more than halved in a year,
Associate Education Minister Parekura Horomia announced today.
Parekura Horomia also said the number of Maori students achieving level 2 NCEA or above also improved for the fifth
straight year.
An annual report from the Ministry of Education shows 43 percent of Maori students leaving secondary school in 2007
achieved level 2 NCEA or above, up from 37 percent in 2006.
At the other end of the spectrum, the proportion of students gaining little or no formal attainment [Little or no formal
attainment means getting fewer than 14 credits towards NCEA at any level] more than halved, from 22 percent in 2006 to
10 percent last year – the biggest drop of any ethnicity.
Parekura Horomia said the statistics for Maori – while still not as good as they could be, have been improving every
year since NCEA was introduced.
“Nothing limits a young person’s potential more than leaving school without qualifications. It narrows the career
choices that young person has, and can lead to longer-term issues such as poverty and health problems.
“That’s why I’m thrilled that more Maori are getting meaningful qualifications, and fewer are leaving with nothing.
“In 2003, more Maori (30 percent) left school with less than 14 NCEA credits to their name than left with NCEA level 2
or above (26 percent). That statistic is now consigned firmly to the past.
“We all know that there is more work to do, which is why I stood up in May to accept the challenge that Ka Hikitia
represents – to make the education system work for all Maori learners.
Parekura Horomia also paid tribute to the work going on in schools throughout New Zealand to motivate and engage Maori
students.
“Initiatives such as Te Kotahitanga are leading the way in showing how having high expectations of Maori students can
help them thrive.”
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E piki tonu ana ngā tauira Māori i raro i NCEA
Kua heke iho, neke atu i te hāwhe, te maha o ngā tauira Māori e wehe mai ana i ngā kura, me te kore tohu, i te tau kua
taha nei.
Me te kī anō a Parekura Horomia, i te piki anō te maha o ngā tauira Māori e eke ana ki taumata 2 o NCEA, runga ake
rānei, mō ngā tau e rima.
Kei te whakaatu i roto i tētahi o ngā pūrongo ā-tau a te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, e 43 ōrau o ngā tauira Māori i wehe mai
i ngā kura tuarua I te tau 2007, i eke ki taumata [Te whakamāramatanga o te iti noaiho, kahore rānei ngā tohu whai mana,
ko te whiwhi iti iho i te 14 waetohu o NCEA ki ōna taumata katoa.] 2 o NCEA, runga ake rānei, e 37 ōrau te pikinga ki te
tau 2006.
I tērā pito o te tūāwhiorangi, ko te wāhanga o ngā tauira i whiwhi tohu paku, kore rānei, kua heke iho, neke atu i te
hāwhe, mai i 22 ōrau i te tau 2006, ki te 10 ōrau i tērā tau – te hekenga tino nui o ngā iwi tāngata katoa.
I kī a Parekura Horomia, i te piki tonu ngā tatauranga mō ngai Māori ia tau , mai i te tīmatanga o NCEA, ahakoa kahore i
te piki atu ki te taumata e hiahia ana.
“Kahore he mea e whakararu ana i ngā pūmanawa a ngā rangatahi, kei runga ake i te wehe mai i ngā kura, me te kore tohu.
Ka whāiti iho ngā kōwhiringa tūranga mahi ki ngā rangatahi, ā tērā ko te mutunga he raruraru wā roa, pērā i te pōhara me
te māuiui.”
“Koia nā te take kei te harikoa ahau mō ngai Māori e maha ake rātou e whiwhi tohu ana, me te iti iho o rātou e wehe mai
ana kahore he tohu.”
“I te tau 2003, maha ake ngā Māori (30 ōrau) i wehe mai i ngā kura, iti iho i te 14 ngā waetohu NCEA, ki a rātou mā i
wehe mai me te taumata 2 o NCEA, runga ake rānei (26 ōrau). Kua riro tēnei tatauranga ināianei ki te pō.”
“Kei te mōhio katoa tātou he mahi anō hei mahinga, koia nā i tū ake ahau i te marama o Mei ki te hiki i te wero kei roto
i Ka Hikitia – ki te whakamahi i te pūnaha akoranga mō ngā akonga Māori katoa.
I tuku mihi anō a Parekura Horomia ki ngā mahi e whakahaere ana ki roto i ngā kura o Aotearoa, ki te whakaara me te hono
atu ki ngā tauira Māori.
“Ko ngā kaupapa kōkiri pērā i Te Kotahitanga, kei te para i te huarahi ki te whakaatu ka pēwhea ngā wawata teitei mō ngā
tauira Māori hei āwhina i a rātou ki te haere momoho.”
ENDS