Principals back report

Photo: Greg Bowker

A government report showing a wide gap in student achievement only emphasises the "major problems" facing Northland schools, principals say.

The Ministry of Education's yearly report on the New Zealand schooling sector found Maori students, Pacifica students and those from low-income families were struggling.

The report on the compulsory schools sector in New Zealand 2013 was released recently after being presented to Parliament.

In the foreword, Minister of Education Hekia Parata said the spread in achievement outlined in the report was too wide and there was "room for improvement".

The president of the Te Tai Tokearu Principals Association, Pat Newman, said schools in Northland were facing "major problems".

"It is the hardest area in New Zealand to be working in education," Mr Newman said.

The report found Maori and Pacifica students are more likely to be disengaged from education and less likely to leave school with useful qualifications.

It also found students at schools in the lowest two deciles were 22.5 per cent less likely to achieve NCEA level one than students in the top two deciles.

While there are 65 decile one and two schools in Northland, there is only seven decile nine schools and no decile 10 schools.