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More students leaving school with qualifications

The proportion of students leaving school with the equivalent of the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 2 or higher has continued to increase. While the proportions of Māori and Pasifika students achieving this level of qualification are lower (compared with other ethnic groups), there were increases in both groups from 2003 to 2004.

The proportion of students leaving school with no qualifications continued to decrease. While greater proportions of Māori and Pasifika students continue to leave school with no qualifications, in both groups the proportion continues to decline.

Proportion of school leavers by highest leaving qualification 1998–2004

Fewer students going from school directly to tertiary study

The proportion of school leavers undertaking degree-level study in the year after leaving school decline from 2003 to 2005. Māori and Pasifika school leavers are around half as likely as all students to go into degree-level study in the year following school. The proportion of Māori students doing so in 2005 dropped, while the proportion of Pasifika students increased.

The proportion of school leavers undertaking level 1 to 3 certificate-level study in the year after school has declined since 2003. Māori and Pasifika students are more likely to study at this level following school. The proportion of Māori and Pasifika students going into this level of study following school has also declined since 2003.

There was a small decrease in students going directly to diploma-level study as well. The only level where there was an increase was level 4 certificates.

Proportion of school leavers in tertiary study of more than 0.3 EFTS in the following year by level of tertiary qualification 1998/99–2004/05

Improving links between school and tertiary education

National Secondary Tertiary Curriculum Alignment Project

The Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) has been funded, through the Innovation Development Fund, to run a national project on secondary tertiary curriculum alignment.

The curriculum alignment project has been in operation at MIT since 2002. The national project involves close collaboration between secondary schools and their neighbouring ITPs to establish clear pathways based in curriculum for students moving from secondary to tertiary education. The Innovation Development Fund grant enables MIT to assist all other ITPs to establish similar programmes.

TEO approaches to improving the transition from school

The analysis of TEO profiles found that around 40 percent of ITPs and universities had a change-focus on school to tertiary transitions in 2005/07 and 2006/08. There was also increased focus on this area in the 2006/08 ITO profiles (also around 40 percent).

In both years, the most consistent focus for ITPs was on curriculum alignment projects. Some were also developing broader relationships with secondary schools and a few offered scholarships for school leavers.

The universities largely focused on study advice, open days and mentoring. The ITOs, in 2006/08, were working with schools to improve school-to-work transitions, including developing joint programmes and aligning school and industry qualifications.

The analysis, however, found that no TEO had objectives focusing on young people who leave school with few qualifications and few or no prospects of sustainable employment.

Improving coordination of youth transition services

In 2003 and 2004, the government invested over $110 million over a five-year period on a variety of initiatives to assist young people to make successful transitions from school to tertiary education and employment. Initially the priorities focused on raising skills and qualifications and employment outcomes. In 2004, the focus was also on improving career information, advice and guidance, improving post-school support structures, and enhancing vocational education available at and post school. By the end of 2004 the government was satisfied that the broad components of a good youth transition system were in place.

In 2005, the emphasis has been on improving the coordination between agencies and on raising awareness about the programmes that are available to assist youth transitions. Programmes are delivered by a range of agencies, and information about them is provided on different websites. To bring this information together through one access point, a website called ‘in-transit’¹ was launched in 2005. It is a youth-orientated site that provides an easy guide to decision-making and available services.

¹ http://www.in-transit.govt.nz/ (↑)

← Improving Access to Foundation Education | Home Page | Develop the Skills New Zealanders need for our Knowledge Society →

• Table of Contents

• The State of Play

• Cross Strategy Indicators

• Raise foundation skills

• Skills for our knowledge society

• Strengthen research and knowledge creation

• Te rautaki mātauranga Māori

• Pacific people’s development and success

• Capability and quality

• Technical and Data Definitions