8 December 2003 Media Statement
Student numbers rise according to latest rolls

There are 761,755 students attending New Zealand schools according to the latest roll information, an increase of just under two per cent on last year, Education Minister Trevor Mallard said.

Trevor Mallard today released the latest school statistics, based on the annual July roll return data collection from schools.

The increase is most noticeable in the secondary (years 9-15) sector where numbers increased by 3.5 per cent. This is consistent with the population bulge that is moving through the secondary sector and is expected to peak in 2006 before dropping.

The survey also shows that the number of foreign fee paying students continues to rise. A 14 per cent increase means that there are now 17,448 foreign fee paying students attending New Zealand schools.

The Auckland area shows the highest overall growth rate and nearly one third of New Zealand students now go to school in this region. Bay of Plenty and Canterbury (except Banks Peninsula, Timaru and Waitaki) also showed roll growth.

Other points to note include:
- As at July 2003 there are 2,693 schools in New Zealand – comprising 2177 primary and intermediate schools, 469 secondary and composite schools and 47 special schools;
- The number of New Zealand European/Pakeha and other European students in the domestic school population decreased by just under 1 per cent while the number of Maori increased by just over 3 per cent and Pacific student numbers increased by 4 per cent. The number of Asian students increased by 14 per cent and this group now make up about 7.5 per cent of the domestic school population;
- Just under 29,100 students participated in Maori medium education, an increase of 4.4 per cent since last year;
- A quarter of all Maori year 1 students had attended Kohanga Reo;
- About 91 per cent of all Year 1 students had attended some form of early childhood education prior to starting school;
- Of the 14-year-old students in July 2001 an estimated 82 per cent were still at school at age 16 in 2003; and
- The total number of vacancies for full-time permanent teachers has decreased by nearly 18 per cent since the July 2002 roll return collection.

To view the full report go to http://www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/julyschoolstatistics

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