Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education
3 December 2013
Media Statement
Embargoed until 11.00pm, 3 December 2013
PISA results confirm education challenge
Results of an international study show New Zealand is continuing to perform above the OECD average in reading, maths and
science but has slipped against some countries, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.
The 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, which is carried out every three years, compares
the performance of just over half a million 15-year-olds from 65 countries or economies across reading literacy, maths
and science.
Of the nearly 59,000 15 year olds in New Zealand schools in 2012, just over 4000 students took part in this PISA
assessment.
The results show that New Zealand 15-year-olds who came through the education system from 2001-2012 are continuing to
score above the OECD average in all three topics. However, New Zealand’s ranking on the OECD scale is lower than the
last PISA report, particularly for maths and science.
Countries like Australia, Canada, Sweden and Finland have also declined, while Asian countries including China,
Singapore, and Hong Kong have improved.
“The results confirm that our students who are achieving at the highest level are comparable to the best in the world –
but the whole education system needs to be better geared to support all of our students to succeed,” Ms Parata says.
For New Zealand, PISA confirms a gradual slide which has been occurring since the early 2000s and echoes findings from
earlier studies including the National Education Monitoring Project and the Trends in International Maths and Science
Study.
The decline in performance is not the result of one factor, but the combination of a number of long-standing system
issues to which this group of 15 year olds has been particularly exposed.
These include: the bedding in of a new NZ curriculum; a significant increase in the number of teachers but
under-investment in raising teaching practice; poor behaviour cultures in some schools reflected by high exemptions,
exclusions, stand downs; a focus on compliance rather than system performance; poorer transitions between one part of
the education sector to the next; inadequate or no data on student achievement throughout key stages in learning at
schools, and poor reporting to parents.
“This Government is addressing all of these long-standing issues,” Ms Parata says.
“It is also important to note that the 15-years olds that took part in this PISA study were not caught by National
Standards, which aim to identify and support students with what they need earlier.”
Ms Parata says educational achievement is of fundamental importance to students, their parents and the Government.
“Our education plan has an unrelenting focus on giving all our young people a better education and raising achievement
for all.
“During tight fiscal times we have invested $9.7 billion in education – the highest it has ever been – and in the top 20
per cent in the OECD for spend as a percentage of GDP. We are investing in all areas of the education system - students,
teachers, principals and boards of trustees.
“For teachers and principals our review of professional learning and development is about to get underway, and we have
announced a $10.5 million programme to boost maths and science teaching.
“We have set a Better Public Service target of 85 per cent of 18 year olds having an NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent
qualification by 2017, we are continuing to invest in National Standards so parents can see how their child is
progressing from an early age, and have established the Network for Learning to ensure all schools in New Zealand have
access to ultra fast broadband.
“We have also introduced initiatives to raise the achievement of Māori, Pasifika and those with special needs, provided
more pathways for 16 and 17 year-olds, and are promoting science, technology, engineering and maths-related careers to
secondary school students.
“The whole system needs to be involved in lifting educational achievement, and that’s why we have focussed on a number
of fronts at once.
“This Government is committed to raising achievement for five out of five kids. Successful young New Zealanders grow the
potential of our country and every young person must have the opportunity to contribute.”
PISA results 2000-2012
2000Reading2000Maths2000Science1Finland5461Hong Kong-China5601Korea5522Canada5342Japan5572Japan5503New Zealand5293Korea5473Hong Kong-China5414Australia5284New Zealand5374Finland5385Ireland5275Finland5365United Kingdom532 7New Zealand528 OECD average500 OECD average500 OECD average500 2003Reading2003Maths2003Science1Finland5431Hong Kong-China5501Finland5482Korea5342Finland5442Japan5483Canada5283Korea5423Hong Kong-China5394Australia5254Netherlands5384Korea5385Liechtenstein5255Liechtenstein5365Liechtenstein5256New Zealand52212New Zealand52310New Zealand521OECD average494 OECD average500 OECD average5002006Reading2006Maths2006Science1Korea5561*Chinese Taipei5491Finland5632Finland5472Finland5482Hong Kong-China5423*Hong Kong-China5363*Hong Kong-China5473Canada5344Canada5274Korea5474Chinese Taipei5325New Zealand5215Netherlands5315Estonia531 11New Zealand5227New Zealand530OECD average492 OECD average498 OECD average500 2009Reading2009Maths2009Science1*Shanghai-China5561Shanghai-China6001*Shanghai-China5752Korea5392Singapore5622Finland5543Finland5363Hong Kong-China5553*Hong Kong-China5494*Hong Kong-China5334Korea5464*Singapore5425*Singapore5265Chinese Taipei5435Japan5397New Zealand52113New Zealand5197New Zealand532 OECD average496 OECD average499 OECD average5012012Reading2012Maths2012Science1Shanghai-China5701Shanghai-China6131Shanghai-China5802Hong Kong-China 5452Singapore5732Hong Kong-China5553Singapore5423Hong Kong-China5613Singapore5514Japan5384Chinese Taipei5604Japan5475Korea5365Korea5545Finland54513New Zealand51223New Zealand50018New Zealand516 OECD average496 OECD average494 OECD average501
Please note:
Science : PISA 2000 and 2003 science is not comparable with PISA 2006 onwards because the measurement scale for science
was recalibrated for PISA 2006 as the test questions used in 2000 and 2003 did not cover the full breadth of the PISA
science framework.
Maths : Similarly PISA 2000 mathematics is not comparable with PISA 2003 onwards because the measurement scale for
mathematics was recalibrated for PISA 2003 as PISA 2000 covered only two of the four content areas of the mathematics
framework used for the assessment of mathematics from PISA 2003 onwards.