Bennett Paula: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Bennett Paula: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:642;Page:12518] 
10.  
PAULA BENNETT (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: Does he stand by his statement that “This Government is delivering a better education system”; if so why? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Yes and I thank the member for the opportunity to highlight some of the things that have taken place since 1999: 5000 extra teachers in classrooms an extra $4 billion the introduction of 20 free hours’ education for 3 to 4-year-olds the provision of laptops for every teacher the provision of broadband access and free software licences for every school the reduced number of students leaving school with no qualification the introduction of the Modern Apprenticeships scheme the dramatically increased funding for industry training and significant rises in participation in tertiary education. Time means that I cannot go on any longer but if any member wishes for an extension of time can he or she please ask another question. 
Paula Bennett 
: If this Government is delivering a better education system why do 9600 students every year—according to the Minister’s report on the compulsory school sector in New Zealand—drop out of school with no qualification and without even the most basic literacy and numeracy skills? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: In answer to the primary question I was going to say that I am sure that the member is about to rise to point out that there is more work to be done in our system and I fully agree with that. But I would say to the member that after nearly 9 years of a Labour-led Government the results are there they speak for themselves and we hope to remain here to do more work in the future. 
Dianne Yates 
: How does the implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) fit within the Government’s overall game of improving our education system; and what recent reports has he received on NCEA’s success? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The introduction of NCEA is one of the more important things that has happened over recent years to meet the needs of this century’s young learners. NCEA is designed to ensure we recognise what students can do and how well they can do it. It also helps us recognise where they need more help. It provides a greater level of detail in other words on student achievement and of course it has been very strongly supported by employers. I have received a recent report that states that 90 percent of school principals support NCEA and the majority of teachers and school trustees support it as well. The report found that NCEA motivates low-achieving students to do better and very few people have argued for a return to the old system. 
Dianne Yates 
: What reports has the Minister received on the number of students leaving school without any formal qualifications and how are the policies of this Government actually encouraging students to stay at school longer? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The number of students leaving school with little or no formal attainment has halved between 1999 and 2006. As recent research has highlighted the introduction of NCEA is helping to motivate students who were previously left behind. We have also introduced programmes such as Gateway and more recently we have piloted a new Youth Apprenticeships programme which will give students the opportunity to link their learning to real on-the-job experience. There will always be more improvements to be made and I would join with the member in saying that we want to carry on doing that and we are looking forward to doing so. 
Paula Bennett 
: Why will one of every three 15-year-old males and one of every four 15-year-old females not have even basic literacy and numeracy skills after 10 years in the education system and why to quote the Minister’s own report will most of this group leave study after their first senior secondary year? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: As the member will know for achievement we compare very well with systems all around the world but we share the same problem that all systems have which is that we have some students who underachieve. That is the task before us. There has been massive improvement over the last 9 years but of course we need to continue that. I say to the member that there is obviously a complex range of reasons why students underachieve. It may be to do with their health family background or school. But what we do know is that this Government is making a real difference. 
Allan Peachey 
: How has the learning of children in New Zealand school classrooms today been improved as a result of the reported $94 million salary blowout at the Ministry of Education where the salaries of bureaucrats—not schoolteachers—have skyrocketed by 154 percent since 2002? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: A former principal who gets the figures so stunningly wrong could perhaps take over from Lane Nichols at the  
Dominion Post 
. Lane Nichols for example says that 200 people have joined the staff at the Ministry of Education. The figure is actually 2000—I know that a zero is easy to miss but he missed it. Those people are special education staff who have been brought under the Ministry of Education. As a result of their coming in their wages have come in as well. It would be helpful to the member if he had a look at our website when he pops back to his office. He will see for example that the average salary of Ministry of Education staff has actually gone down. The number of people who are on over $100000 is exactly the same as previously. The report in the paper—I am sorry to say—is totally wrong. It is a shame because these are dedicated public servants doing a great job of serving this country and they deserve better reporting than that. 
Allan Peachey 
: How far would that $94 million go towards addressing the problem coming out of the advice that the Minister gave to me in his answer to question for written answer No. 16928 (2007) that there is “a lack of trained reading recovery teachers willing to teach reading recovery in our lowest-decile schools” and the advice that the Minister gave in his answer to question for written answer No. 15713 (2007) that compared with 1999 there are now 4000 fewer reading-recovery hours in our schools? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Once again one of the things I would have hoped a person who has been in the education system would know is that schools choose the reading programme they want to use. People have made different kinds of decisions about how they will address issues of reading in their school. I go back to the point I made before because the member did not seem to listen. He is still using the $94 million figure as if I had confirmed it. I want to confirm for him and the House that the report is totally wrong. If he has a look at my website when he goes back to his office he will see the real figures. 
Allan Peachey 
: I seek leave of the House to table the report stating there is a $94 million blowout in— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is. 
Allan Peachey 
: I seek leave of the House to table the answer to question for written answer No. 16928 (2007). 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is. 
Allan Peachey 
: I seek leave of the House to table the answer to question for written answer No. 15713 (2007). 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is.