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National | Education

Record number of Māori students achieving NCEA level 2

Today NCEA data has been released showing more Māori and Pasifika students are achieving Level 2 than ever before.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says, “NCEA Level 2 is the passport to a better future so this increase is great news for our young Māori and Pasifika students.”

The provisional roll-based data shows that since 2008, the percentage of Māori students gaining NCEA Level 2 at school has risen by 33.2 per cent to 69.4 per cent.

Parata says, “As these are provisional results, we expect to see further increases when the data is finalised.

In 2008, almost half of Māori and Pasifika students were not achieving NCEA Level 2. Since then, their achievement rates have risen faster than for any other group of the population and the achievement gap is closing.

Students, teachers, principals, parents, whānau and aiga all deserve credit for this significant turnaround. As a result of their combined efforts, thousands more young Māori and Pasifika are leaving school every year with the skills and qualifications they need to be successful.

However, while there has been dramatic progress in recent years we will not be satisfied until every young New Zealander is receiving the education they need to reach their full potential.”

The tables below show the level of achievement of Māori and Pasifika students in NCEA levels 1, 2 and 3 over the last 8 years:

The roll-based measures of achievement count all students who enroll in year 11, 12 or 13 regardless of whether or not they attempt to achieve NCEA.

The participation-based measures of achievement count only students who have enrolled for sufficient credits to gain an NCEA level certificate.