Hon Steven Joyce

Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

Hon Hekia Parata

Minister of Education

24 November 2015

Embargoed until 11pm, 24 November, 2015

Media Statement

Study confirms NZ’s commitment to education

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata have welcomed a new report showing that New Zealand invests a larger portion of its public spending in education than all but a handful of other OECD countries.

Education At a Glance 2015, which was released overnight, shows that New Zealand ranks in the top two OECD countries for expenditure on both school and tertiary education as a percentage of total public expenditure.

“The results demonstrate New Zealand’s commitment to equipping our students with the skills they need for the 21st century,” says Mr Joyce.

“The survey shows 30 per cent of adult New Zealanders (those aged 25 to 64) have a degree compared with the OECD average of 28 per cent and that tertiary qualification rates for women in New Zealand are among the highest in the countries studied. New Zealand also has high levels of people studying for vocational qualifications.”

The annual survey also reveals that the number of 15 to 19-year-olds staying in secondary school has increased noticeably in recent years and that the number of 15 to 19-year-olds not in education, employment or training has declined over the same period. New Zealand has in fact just posted its lowest-ever level of 15-19 year olds not in education, employment or training.

“These gains show our efforts to deliver a quality education to all New Zealanders are bearing fruit,” says Ms Parata. “I want to thank all our teachers, schools and tertiary institutions for the difference they are making to the future of our young people.”

The report also notes that New Zealand is in the top third of OECD countries for early childhood education participation, funding and teacher-child ratios.

In addition, New Zealand is one of only nine OECD countries where salaries for experienced tertiary-educated teachers compare favourably with salaries for people with equivalent qualifications in other occupations.

The report shows that teacher salaries have risen faster in New Zealand than the OECD average since 2005.

Education at a Glance 2015 is available at www.oecd.org/edu/eag.htm.

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