11. Question No. 11—Education (School Operations)ERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays) to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations)Question No. 11—Education (School Operations)11. ERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays) to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations): What percentage of students achieved each assessment of the 2022 NCEA Literacy and Numeracy pilot and can she explain why the results were lower than last year's assessment?Hon JAN TINETTI (Associate Minister of Education) (School Operations): Mr Speaker mālō ni. As part of our maths and literacy strategy we're developing a standardised assessment for NCEA literacy and maths that all students will need to pass by the time they leave school. This is to ensure that all students leave school with essential maths and literacy skills fit for the modern world. The first pilot ran in 2021 and saw achievement rates of 67 percent in reading 35 percent in writing 65 percent in numeracy 28 percent pāngarau and 83 percent te reo matatini. The second pilot ran in 2022 and saw achievement rates of 64 percent in reading 34 percent in writing 56 percent in numeracy 18 percent pāngarau and 24 percent te reo matatini. This pilot was tested with small numbers of year 10 students and the finalised assessment will become mandatory in 2024 for all school leavers. Results will vary because the content of the assessment varies as we are still in the initial phases of developing it.Erica Stanford: Can she explain why after five years of this Government literacy and numeracy skills have continued to decline to the point where only a third of students have the foundational skills to pass this co-requisite requirement for NCEA?Hon JAN TINETTI: I'd point out to that member that it sounds like she is supporting the Government's policy to bring in mandatory maths and literacy co-requisites. We acknowledge that literacy and mathematics were on a decline and started with the introduction of national standards back in 2008—of course the six years the majority of schooling that these young people had was under that regime. The results of the pilot highlight the fact that maths and literacy results in New Zealand have been falling for well over a decade. That is why we're taking urgent action through targeted maths and literacy strategies to make it clear exactly what needs to be taught and when it needs to be taught.Erica Stanford: In light of that answer then what specific initiative has this Government fully implemented and rolled out in the last five years in math or reading or writing to improve the numeracy and literacy of our 15-year-olds today?Hon JAN TINETTI: I'm pleased that that question was asked and we do know that with the maths and literacy strategy we are developing the common practice model which that Government failed to do and put the emphasis on to assessment rather than teaching to the curriculum. That's exactly what we are going to do. We are having an evidence-based approach to increasing literacy and numeracy results in this country rather than the failed experiment that that Government had which they called national standards which were neither national nor standard.Erica Stanford: In light of that answer is the Associate Minister telling us that the only thing in terms of literacy and numeracy that they've fully rolled out in the last five years is a literacy and numeracy strategy that they wrote this year?Hon JAN TINETTI: That member fails to realise that the strategy that was written and launched this year has taken account of a lot of evidence that we have put into place in this country. What I would also say is I'm really delighted to be asked the question again. We're rewriting a new strengthened curriculum and introducing new NCEA maths and literacy standards. It's a highly ambitious work programme to lift overall achievement especially in maths and literacy. To support this we have invested over $20 million in tutoring and catch-up learning sessions which are well and truly under way in this country already. We've invested in over a thousand more overseas and domestic teachers to deliver this Government's plan to lift achievement far more than that side of the House ever did in their time in Government.Erica Stanford: Does she think that more students would have achieved numeracy and literacy standards if the Government had implemented measures to catch students up for lost learning in 2021 instead of waiting for term 4 this year?Hon JAN TINETTI: What that member has failed to remember is that we actually put that lost learning in place last year as well when in November I made an announcement of $16 million to help catch those students up. We also have put extra support and money into The Correspondence School which is now called Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu to ensure that our students can get the extra support that they need over the summer catch-up time. The member has a very short memory.Erica Stanford: When she said in the news on Friday that There is a cultural appropriateness that needs to be taken into account." can she give an example of the type of question in the pilot exams that she considers not to be culturally appropriate?Hon JAN TINETTI: We know that the number of students in these trials—we've had a number of Māori and Pacific students. We know by listening—listening—to the teachers who have been helping implement those programmes that some of those questions have not been appropriate. As a former teacher myself I know that some of the examples that are used sometimes are not cognisant with a young person's life and a young person might not be used to some of the experiences that we might even be used to as people who are privileged to sit in this House. So that is exactly the sort of work that we are doing.Erica Stanford: Point of order. This question was quite specific around asking for an example of a type of question and I don't believe that was addressed in the answer.SPEAKER: I'll give the member an extra question. You can either ask that again or another one.Erica Stanford: Can the Associate Minister give this House one example of the type of question in the pilot exam that she considers was not culturally appropriate?Hon JAN TINETTI: What I can say is that there are questions in the exams that some of our young people don't have the experiences in their background to understand. One of the responses that I will make to that member is that we have been very clear to our schools at this stage that we aren't releasing in great detail the exam questions because that could upset the nature of the pilot.SPEAKER: Question No. 12—Naisi Chen.Erica Stanford: Supplementary question because you gave me an extra one.SPEAKER: Sorry you've run out of questions."