They showed New Zealand students’ performance in maths, science, and reading sitting well below results from similar assessments in 2009 and 2015.
Between 2018 and 2022, reading and science scores recorded small falls, while performance in maths dropped significantly.
Results slumped across many members of the OECD, but that is cold comfort for students and parents alike, and New Zealand educators should not be praised for being better than a bad bunch.
The turmoil that Covid-19 caused teachers and students will of course have influenced these latest results.
But New Zealand has been declining in nearly all Pisa results since its launch in 2000.
A reset is needed to turn the tide.
Education Minister Erica Stanford said in December the scores were “another disappointing but entirely predictable decline”.
As part of the Government’s 100-day plan, Stanford revealed “the first steps in the coalition Government’s plan to lift student achievement”.
“We have an aspirational target to get 80 per cent of our kids to curriculum by the time they finish intermediate, to set them up for success so they can live the life they want.
“Starting from Term 1 2024, all students in Years 0 – 8 will be taught reading, writing and maths for an average of one hour a day in each subject.
“We’re seeing that many schools are already doing this well, but this change is about having time dedicated to teaching reading, writing and maths in a purposeful and deliberate way consistently across New Zealand”.
While this change is no quick fix (and it will be years before any improvement from it flows through to the likes of Pisa results), the status quo is not working for too many of our students.
Equity is another area where Stanford needs to direct her attention.
Last year’s Pisa report showed Māori and Pasifika student performance falling faster than the New Zealand average in maths and science. Almost half - 47 per cent - of Māori students performed below the baseline Pisa level in maths in 2022, much higher than the 37 per cent score in 2018.
Pasifika student performance also fell further behind the national average in reading.
Truancy, too, remains a stubborn issue.
Only 46 per cent of school pupils attended classes regularly in Term 3 of last year, one of the worst figures on record. Māori and Pasifika students were worst affected.
This, too, will hinder student achievement – our children can’t learn if they’re not turning up to class.
The Government can’t sit on its hands regarding these issues and needs to show comprehensive plans to tackle them.
It has announced its “first steps” to try to improve education standards. Its next move can’t come soon enough.
