School leavers with higher level qualifications

Note: The data and text for this section is sourced in whole or in part from the following report: Ministry of Social Development (2008), Children and Young People: Indicators of Wellbeing in New Zealand 2008.  Wellington: Ministry of Social Development.

Definition

The proportion of school leavers leaving school with a qualification at National Certificate of Education Achievement (NCEA) Level 2 or above.

Relevance

Upper secondary school qualifications serve as the foundation for future education and training as well as direct entry to the labour force. Young people with no qualifications or low qualifications face an increased risk of unemployment and benefit receipt, reduced job prospects, less access to further education and training, and lower earnings.

Current level and trends

In 2007, 65.5 percent of school leavers left school holding a qualification at NCEA Level 2 or above. 

Since the introduction of NCEA in 2003, the proportion of school leavers leaving with NCEA Level 2 or above has risen each year.(1)

Proportion of school leavers with Higher School Certificate or above, 1986-2002 and with NCEA Level 2 or above, 2003–2007

Proportion of school leavers with Higher School Certificate or above, 1986-2002 and with NCEA Level 2 or above, 2003–2007

Source: Ministry of Education.

Note: A direct comparison cannot be made between rates up to and including 2002 with rates for 2003 on, due to the change in qualification structure.  Because of methodological changes, 2004 is not comparable with other years and has been omitted.

Socio-economic differences

The risk of leaving school without higher qualifications varies according to the socio-economic mix of the student population. 

Schools in the lowest quintile (deciles 1 and 2) draw their students from communities with the highest levels of socio-economic disadvantage. 

In 2007, students from schools in the highest quintile (deciles 9 and 10) were more than one-and-a-half times more likely to leave school with NCEA Level 2 or above than students attending schools in the lowest quintile. 

This is an improvement on 2006, where those in the lowest quintile were only about half as likely as those in the highest quintile to leave school with NCEA Level 2 or above.

Notes

1. Prior to 2003, the closest equivalent to NCEA level 2 was the Higher School Certificate.  However, rates of attainment of the two qualifications are not directly comparable.