12. Student Achievement—Programme for International Student Assessments and Science Maths and Reading PerformanceCHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Minister of EducationStudent Achievement—Programme for International Student Assessments and Science Maths and Reading Performance12. CHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Minister of Education: Why after eight years of a National Government are New Zealand students' performance in science maths and reading continuing to decline as reported in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment study and is she concerned that their scores are now at their lowest point ever?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): I am more concerned about the member's understanding of the use of plurals and singulars—but never mind he can review his question and check out the literacy of it. The scores have not continued to decline and have in fact stabilised and consolidated from 2012. Unlike the member I was pleased. Unlike all members in the Opposition I am pleased to see from these latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results that New Zealand's 15-year-olds place well above the OECD average in reading maths and science. How about a little celebration for them? I note that last week the member was less concerned about test scores and more concerned about New Zealand's table ranking so I am happy to report that New Zealand's relative standing in science and reading has improved and the fact we are sitting 10th in the world is something to be celebrated. It is also marginally pleasing that it beats the Aussies. This week the member has decided he is concerned about test scores so I point out to the member that the declines observed in earlier studies have now stabilised the scores have consolidated and we are celebrating New Zealand students' success.Chris Hipkins: Is it not simply a fact that no amount of spin in the world from her can hide the fact that New Zealand students' performance in reading maths and science has fallen in both of the PISA studies that have been published since National took office and the only reason our international ranking has gone up is that other countries' performance has declined even more than ours?Hon HEKIA PARATA: New Zealand scores have declined slightly but they are within the margin of error which the members of the select committee had explained in painful detail to them this morning. It has always been the case—as I explained in 2012—that PISA is a league table; it is like a tennis ladder. It is dynamic; countries go up countries go down. New Zealand has gone up and as a result Australia has fallen below us France has fallen below us Switzerland has fallen below us the United Kingdom has fallen below us—Mr SPEAKER: I want to bring the answer to a conclusion.Hon HEKIA PARATA: Mr Speaker is understanding the difference; perhaps the member does too.Chris Hipkins: Why does she declaim that the decline in the average scores of New Zealand students in reading maths and science are statistically insignificant while boasting that New Zealand has moved up the international league tables due to even smaller changes in the statistics of countries we compare with?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I am neither declaiming nor boasting; I am describing and explaining. I am telling the member as he was told in select committee this morning that the points difference in the scoring is statistically insignificant and in respect of New Zealand because of our sample size in comparison with other countries the margin of error is smaller and therefore our data is more reliable. In terms of rankings I have just explained at length at the edge of tolerance of Mr Speaker that when countries go up others go down. New Zealand has gone up.Chris Hipkins: Why should the New Zealand public have any confidence in National's one-size-fits-all approach given the latest PISA study records the lowest average student achievement scores for New Zealand students ever ongoing increases in the number of students in the lowest performing cohorts and a drop in the number of our students in the highest performing cohorts?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I am so glad I am on this side of the House; that side of the House swims in a pool of misery. In fact we can look at the data for performance in the New Zealand education system in far more detail than has ever been the case before. Why? Because this Government is prepared to be accountable this Government wants to see every child succeed and this Government has put the most amount of investment into education of any Government. We have seen the results—that is why parents can have confidence speaking of tennis.