The number of students unenrolled from school has nearly tripled under Labour, National’s Education spokesperson Erica Stanford says.

“When Labour took office in October 2017, the number of students on the non-enrolled list was 3,274. By the end of March 2023, the number had jumped to 9,205.

“These are students that have completely disengaged from school, with most not attending for more than 20 school days.

“Data provided to National also shows a dramatic increase in the time it takes to re-engage these students.

“In March 2017, the average number of days to re-engage a student in Auckland was 84. In March 2023, it was 183 days.

“This is devastating. Not only are half of students not attending school regularly, but this Government is demonstrably failing New Zealand’s most-vulnerable students who depend on a great education and the opportunities it will afford them.

“While tomorrow the Education Minister will be defending her own actions at Parliament’s Privileges Committee, it must not be forgotten that Labour is failing to deliver in education.

“Right now, our kids are not going to school, achievement levels are plummeting, and more and more schools are choosing to ditch NCEA Level 1 altogether because they have no confidence in the Government’s NCEA change package.

“Labour has no plan for the future and is robbing hundreds of thousands of Kiwi kids of the world-class education they deserve.

“Rather than excuses and empty classrooms, a National government would restore excellence to the heart of the education system by teaching the basics brilliantly so every student has the same opportunity to live the life they want.”

© Scoop Media