Mayor welcomes big step for Auckland Education

Mayor welcomes big step for Auckland Education

The Mayor officially opened COMET Auckland’s new offices in the city centre yesterday, cutting the ribbon and marking a significant step in improving educational standards across Auckland.

COMET Auckland started life 14 years ago as the City Of Manukau Educational Trust, but as a part of the super city its remit has been expanded to all of Auckland.

Len Brown says: “Education and skills are the keys to the social and economic wellbeing of Aucklanders. It’s as simple as that.

“COMET Auckland already delivers well beyond its small size. COMET is now focused on advancing education across Auckland from cradle to grave – listening and learning, collaborating and connecting.”

Key stakeholders from across Auckland’s education and skills landscape attended the ribbon-cutting event and education briefing.

They included representatives from Auckland Council, the Independent Māori Statutory Board, ATEED, and the Chamber of Commerce. A representative of King Tuheitia also attended the event.

Guests were welcomed to the office with a special whakatau by local iwi Ngāti Whātua.

To mark the occasion, the COMET Auckland team took the opportunity to update stakeholders and media on key figures relating to Auckland’s education landscape:

-Auckland has 94% ECE participation (the Auckland Plan target is 98% participation)
-ECE participation is tracking up for Pasifika (86%) and Māori (89%), accelerating over the past two years
-82% of girls and 70% of boys passed NCEA Level 1 literacy in Year 11
-85% of Auckland students stayed at school until age 17 (81% nationally)
-Boys and Māori students are the most likely groups to leave school early

COMET Auckland Chief Executive, Susan Warren, says: “Our more central address in the heart of Auckland’s CBD will help us to work even more effectively to connect education and skills for the city, positioning the team in the middle of the many different areas of Tāmaki Makaurau in which we work.

“Already we’re seeing benefits from the move to the central city, with more partners coming to our office each week than used to come to our previous site in an average month. That’s important because it’s only by working together across sectors, with industry, community, educators and local and national government that we can ensure every Aucklander has the skills they need to succeed.”

COMET Auckland is a council controlled organisation and charitable education trust.

ENDS

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