- Hon Erica Stanford
Education Minister Erica Stanford is announcing stronger accountability measures for the education system as part of the Government's plan to turn around New Zealand's unacceptable rates of maths achievement.
The Prime Minister and Education Minister yesterday launched Make It Count, the Government's new maths action plan featuring three components - Curriculum, Workforce and Assessment.
"It is unacceptable that only 22 per cent of our Year 8 students are at the expected standard for maths," Ms Stanford says.
"We cannot allow the decline in achievement to continue. We all need to work together to turn these results around, so Kiwi kids get equal opportunities to learn. That's why we're rolling out the fourth component of Make It Count so our education system is accountable to deliver the fundamental shift we need.
"Our Government will not tolerate persistently poor achievement in schools - it is not fair to our kids and their futures. That's why the Ministry of Education will intervene earlier and more often in schools which need extra support. The Ministry will sharpen its approach to intervening in schools when student achievement is at risk, redirecting and targeting resources to schools with inadequate student achievement.
"There will be an overhaul of the Education Review Office's reporting, so it is focused on progress, achievement and assessment. There will also be clearer reporting to parents on what schools are getting right and what they aren't.
"The Teaching Council has agreed to strengthen the maths component in Initial Teacher Education. From next year, trainee teachers will be better prepared to enter the classroom by their initial teacher training to teach the new maths and English curriculum.
"Achievement is not where it should be. Further data released today shows just 45 per cent of students achieved the NCEA co-requisite standard for numeracy this year - a 10-percentage point decline from the same time last year. Achievement in maths in Māori medium and Kaupapa Māori settings is even more alarming, at only 25 per cent.
"These results confirm the need for urgent action to tackle New Zealand's maths achievement problem.
"We are aspirational for our kids and have an ambitious target of 80 per cent of Year 8 students at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in maths by December 2030.
"There is a lot of work to do to reach this target and that is why we are acting fast to transform the way we teach maths in New Zealand.
"Our Government will work with the sector and ensure teachers receive the training, support and resources they need so we can lift student achievement and close the equity gap in our education system."
Make It Count - Maths Action Plan
Curriculum
• A new Years 0-8 maths curriculum will be introduced a year early, from Term 1 2025, with resources available to support teachers.
• Resources, including teacher and student workbooks will be provided into every primary and intermediate school.
Workforce
• $20 million for professional development in structured maths for teachers.
• Teaching Council agreed to lift maths entry requirements for new teachers.
Assessment
• Twice yearly assessments for maths in primary schools from the start of 2025.
• Small group interventions to support students who have fallen significantly behind.
Accountability
• Ministry of Education will intervene earlier and more often to tackle student achievement issues.
• Education Review Office (ERO) to overhaul reporting with a new focus on student progress, achievement, and assessment.
• Teaching Council agreed to strengthen maths component in Initial Teaching Education.
