September 24, 2012
Standards data shows Maori not measuring up
Education Minister Hekia Parata has expressed concern at the number of Maori and Pasifika children not meeting National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics.
The Education Ministry has released the first baseline data for the controversial system of reporting on achievement for years 1 to 8 pupils.
Critics says inconsistent reporting standards will devalue it as a measurement, but Ms Parata says the data is consistent with other studies such as the progress in International Reading Literacy Study.
It found 76 per cent of pupils reached or exceeded the national standard for reading, 72 per cent for mathematics, and 68 per cent for writing.
But she says boys didn’t score as well overall as girls in reading and writing, and too many Maori and Pasifika learners did not the standards. Boys are also over represented in not meeting the standard in reading and writing.
The Ministry will publish the data for individual schools next Friday, despite promises when the system was brought in that it would not be used for league tables.