A report analysing 15 years of Progressive Achievement Test (PAT) data reveals persistent achievement gaps in maths and reading, making the coalition government’s decision to cut specialist teachers and culturally relevant programmes baffling, says NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels.
A recent report by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) highlights longstanding differences in achievement across ethnic groups. In Mathematics, the gap between groups was 11.7 scale points, representing roughly two years of typical progress. In Reading Comprehension and Reading Vocabulary, the gaps equal a little over half a year of progress.
“Given these persistent achievement gaps, the government’s decision in Budget 2025 to defund programmes designed to support Pasifika students in maths and reading is reckless and unwarranted,” says Mrs Lessels.
“Evaluations of the Pasifika Early Literacy Project (PELP) consistently showed its success in validating language and identity, giving Pasifika learners a strong foundation for English literacy. The PAT data proves our learners still need these targeted, culturally relevant supports.
“Scrapping the Resource Teacher Māori and Resource Teacher Literacy services removed essential support from the tamariki who need it most. Our children relied on these specialist teachers to thrive, and cutting them will only widen the achievement gap,” adds Mrs Lessels.
Mrs Lessels noted that while there are gains in Reading Vocabulary, the declines in Reading Comprehension are concerning.
“This disproves the Minister of Education’s claim late last year that reading achievement had increased, which she attributed to phonics check scores and cited as proof she had reversed decades of decline in literacy,” says Mrs Lessels.
The Ministry of Education’s own report on the phonics check confirmed that of the 11,508 students measured, only 516 completed both the 20-week and 40-week checks, which is a very small sample to draw meaningful conclusions.
“True progress requires longitudinal data tracking the same cohort over time,” says Mrs Lessels. “We will celebrate when we see sustained, long-term improvements in reading comprehension and writing across all ages.”
“The NZCER PAT Trends Report proves Aotearoa already has its own robust, independent longitudinal achievement data. Having access to long-term data like this is essential; it ensures educational policy and investment decisions are guided by sustained student progress rather than short-term results,” adds Mrs Lessels.