10. Question No. 10—EducationERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 10—Education10. ERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays) to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? Hon JAN TINETTI (Minister of Education): Yes in the context in which they were given. Erica Stanford: Are the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) reading results released last night showing New Zealand's score in reading has fallen to its lowest ever consistent with her statement in this House that progress has remained constant" since 2017—meaning no significant change has been shown? Hon JAN TINETTI: The member continues to be fixated on generating a negative story but the facts are much more promising. New Zealand's year 5 students' performance is above the international mean in this international assessment of reading literacy. In PIRLS 2021 New Zealand recorded an average reading literacy score of 521 which is significantly higher than the international average of 500 and consistent with our score in PIRLS 2016. But that doesn't mean there isn't more work to. Erica Stanford: Why is it that under her Government according to these PIRLS reading results released last night the results of the lowest quartile of our students are performing much worse than the lowest quartile of students who rank much lower than New Zealand? Hon JAN TINETTI: We've always been very open about the fact that there is a big discrepancy in our reading achievement—it is not new. The difference this time is that this Government is doing something about it. Erica Stanford: Given these results why is it that the young people who are most disadvantaged in New Zealand who stand to benefit the most from being able to read aren't on track to benefit from a good education to break cycles of intergenerational poverty under her Government? Hon JAN TINETTI: This Government is doing something about lifting achievement levels in this country. We have introduced the common practice model which is the work that we're doing that will come into play from 2024 and it will lift reading and literacy achievement levels in this country. But first and foremost this Government has acted on lifting achievement levels by getting rid of national standards. We have put in place a literacy plan to lift literacy teaching and learning we have implemented progress steps to indicate essential time-sensitive aspects of literacy at each phase of learning we have funded tutoring sessions for secondary school students whose learning was impacted by COVID-19 we've rolled out the Better Start Literacy Approach and we have introduced ready to read phonics. We know that there is way more to do. We know that these result indicate action and that's exactly what this Government is doing. Erica Stanford: Can she explain how these international PIRLS reading results for our lowest quartile of students doesn't just confirm that this Government is failing our most disadvantaged students where less than a third of decile 1 students attend school regularly and only 10 percent of decile 1 students can pass a basic literacy and numeracy NCEA assessment? Hon JAN TINETTI: As I've said in this House before that is part of a pilot programme. I disagree with that speaker. SPEAKER: Question No. 11—oh a further supplementary sorry. Erica Stanford: Final question Mr Speaker. To the Minister: can she explain how 70 percent of New Zealanders surveyed do not believe her Government has done enough to address failing literacy and numeracy results despite all of the previous answers she's given us today? Hon JAN TINETTI: I know that that member is very very interested in poll results but New Zealanders can be assured that the Government is taking urgent action to address maths and literacy and I absolutely acknowledge that there is more to do. The results won't turn around overnight but we have laid the foundations by investing heavily in medium to long term curriculum development that is evidence-based and world leading. This is on the back of little investment in the previous years prior to that. Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Does the Minister believe that the decision taken by the previous Government to make it easier for secondary school students to achieve the literacy and numeracy requirements of NCEA improved or diminished literacy and numeracy levels in New Zealand? SPEAKER: Order! Order! I found that really difficult to hear. There were interjections through it and now you're—[Interruption] I'm on my feet. I'm about to make a ruling. I'm ruling that question out of order."