Mood of the Boardroom: What can we learn from business?

Educational attainment levels at both primary and secondary schools in New Zealand has come under increased scrutiny. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Education is an issue CEOs care passionately about. "Educating young New Zealanders can have a very positive effect in reducing crime and improving their future and that of New Zealand," says Mainfreight boss Don Braid.

Over recent years, educational attainment levels at both primary and secondary schools in New Zealand has come under increased scrutiny.

The Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey asked business leaders to rate the overall educational fitness of young New Zealanders to play a role in the workforce, on a scale of 1-5 where 1 = not impressive and 5 = very impressive. They gave this a score of 2.76/5.

"The young people that I meet who have been educated at schools across our socio-economic community really impress me," says a director. "Smart, articulate, world and socially aware. They give me much hope for our country."

A technology boss shares a similar sentiment: "We can only judge by the people we see in job interviews and the interns we take over summer, and their calibre, enthusiasm and drive to learn and succeed is strong."

However, multiple international assessments have shown New Zealand students slipping in global educational rankings. "The recent PISA score from testing our 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science was the lowest ever in the OECD, and a similar story occurs in the 2020 TIMSS global comparison," says chair Craig Stobo. "To then hear the Minister of Education say this year that we should celebrate the achievements of pupils in other countries left me speechless."

The most recent Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) saw New Zealand Year 9 students' scores fall by the largest margins since the study began in 1994. Their maths score fell 11 points to 482 and their science score fell 14 points to 499, on a scale where 500 is the midpoint.

New Zealand's scores for Year 5 students (9-year-olds) also fell in both subjects since the last time the test was conducted in 2014/15.

Similarly, last year's OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests, which tests reading, maths and science, saw New Zealand's 15-year-olds recorded their lowest scores ever. Of the 79 participating countries in PISA, New Zealand was 11th equal for reading, 12th for science, and 27th for maths.

"Literacy and numeracy are at an all-time low, the system is letting down far too many young people and their families," says EMA chief executive Brett O'Riley.

We have some outstanding educational achievement results in some parts of our education system, but weaker results in other parts which represent a big lost opportunity both for our people and our country," says Beca CEO Greg Lowe. "No New Zealander should be left behind in the journey to better skills."

"It feels like standards continue to slip and that mediocre is now okay," says a food producer. "A drift to the lowest common denominator."

From an investment firm boss: "A big worry — with an annual deterioration in standards and achievements wrapped in a cloak of wokeism and irrelevance."

Federated Farmers CEO Terry Copeland says our fall in international rankings is down to a "combination of low literacy and numeracy skills, and less common sense due to reliance on computers".

But another respondent, from the education sector, comments: "Working closely with education, I think the attainment metrics aren't everything. We have a system that teaches great critical thinking and inquiry-based learning which help foster innovation."

One director says the education system is failing too many and not supporting enough young New Zealanders into stimulating vocational opportunities; however they note the solution requires "the whole community — especially businesses — to become much more engaged in the educational process".

Time to consider a Swiss model?

Building on this sentiment, respondents were asked whether there is a role for business to play in the education of equipping young New Zealanders for the future workforce — such as Switzerland's Vocational Education Training (VET) system — where they are seconded to firms while still at school to learn vocational and life skills. A significant 73 per cent responded yes. Just 6 per cent say no, and 21 per cent are unsure.

"Business has a large role to play in teaching young New Zealanders about what they do and why," adds Mainfreight's Don Braid.

"The education system must support this through the examination process — pass rates alongside apprenticeships and other vocational training."

Beca's Greg Lowe acknowledges business already plays a big part in the training and development of its workforce, which is an area of significant investment for most businesses in NZ. "Models like Australia where secondary students complete formal workplace secondments do help students to with potential career choices."

But some worry this shifts too much responsibility on to business.

"Businesses are already taking on much of the training directly — but there is always potential to expand this," said a professional director.

A respondent in the education sector says they have seen this model work really well in Israel as well, "but I'm not sure we have enough talent or large organisations to support it here, particularly in our regions."

And a food producer cautions: "This shifts the burden to already overburdened firms."