5. Conclusions — Ngā whakamutunga

Where New Zealand does well — Ngā mahi pai e oti nei i Aotearoa

• New Zealand is providing a wide range of education opportunities.
• A large percentage of New Zealand students are performing well by international standards in reading, mathematics and science literacy.
• Parents and guardians have a choice of schooling options within, and between, State-run schools, integrated schools and private schools.
• Institutions that provide Maori language immersion and validate Maori knowledge, structures, processes, learning styles and administration practices are available at all levels of education: kohanga reo at early childhood, kura kaupapa Maori at primary and secondary, and wananga at tertiary.
• Education, particularly at primary and secondary level, is available to most New Zealand citizens and there is a range of educational choices in many areas.
• Government policy over the past two decades has encouraged student, parent and staff participation in school governance through the board of trustees in primary and secondary schools, and councils at tertiary institutions. Mandatory advisory boards ensure industry and community participation in the development of tertiary education and training programmes, including the setting of standards.
• Pathways to the Future: Nga Huarahi Aratakui , the strategic plan for early childhood education in New Zealand , has begun to increase participation in ECE, the quality of ECE services, and responsiveness to Māori and Pacific children.

Where we need to do better — Kia piki ake te pai i roto i enei wahanga

Although the availability of education in New Zealand is good, in terms of the United Nation's 4-A framework of standards (discussed at the beginning of this chapter), New Zealand education is still not fully accessible, acceptable and adaptable. There are systemic disparities that need to be addressed.

• The formal and informal costs of education create barriers at all levels.
• Participation rates for males, Māori, Pacific peoples, disabled people, and those from poor communities are disproportionately low.
• Māori and Pacific students have higher stand-down, suspension, exclusion and expulsion rates than those of other ethnicities. Males have higher rates than females.
• Actual standards in education vary - particularly for disabled children and those in isolated schools and from low socio-economic communities.
• There is discrimination, bullying, and harassment particularly around issues of race, disability, sexual orientation and gender.
• The gap between the lowest achieving students and those who are average achievers is increasing. Compared with other OECD countries, New Zealand has one of the widest gaps in educational performance.
• Achievement rates for males, Māori, Pacific peoples, disabled people and those from low socio-economic communities are disproportionately low.

Under international agreements, State parties are obliged to prohibit discrimination in access to education and to eliminate discrimination through education.

Table 4 (below) links aspects of the right to education that are of significance to New Zealand with the relevant United Nations conventions (ICESCR, UNCROC, CEDAW, and CERD).

Table 4: The right to education - aspects of significance to New Zealand and related United Nations Conventions

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