School attendance data released today by the New Zealand Ministry of Education shows a significant increase in the number of students regularly attending school, reaching 61.7% in Term 1.
This marks an improvement from 59.5% in Term 1 of the previous year and 53.6% in Term 4. This positive trend is a step towards the government’s goal of 80% regular attendance by 2030.
A Promising Shift in Attendance Patterns
“It’s encouraging to see more children getting to school and a small drop in chronic absences as we head toward our 80% target,”
said Associate Education Minister David Seymour.
“We have a truancy crisis across the country, and attendance data is a way to show people this.”
Key factors influencing attendance include various challenges beyond students’ control. To address these, the government is developing an attendance action plan to support families in ensuring their children regularly attend school.
Data Transparency and Government Initiatives
The published data is now available much more quickly than before, reflecting the current government’s commitment to transparency. The weekly publication of daily data aims to keep the public informed and involved.
The report highlights positive changes, such as Cyclone Gabrielle-impacted Hawke’s Bay-Tairāwhiti leading the way with the largest increase in attendance, up 9.7% to 59.0%. Additionally, regular attendance rates for ākonga Māori and Pacific students have increased by 2.5 and 3.0 percentage points, respectively.
Historical Context and Future Goals
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, regular attendance in 2019 was at 72.8%. The government’s target is to ensure that 80% of students are present for more than 90% of the time by 2030.
“School attendance is a problem ultimately owned by all New Zealanders, and I look forward to a continuation of the upward trend,”
added Seymour.
Provisional Data for Term 1, 2024
- Term 1 2024: 68.9% of students attended more than 90% of the term, an increase of 11.1 percentage points compared to Term 1 2019.
- Government Target: 80% of students attending more than 90% of the term by 2030.
- Upcoming Report: More detailed statistics will be released on June 20, 2024, two weeks earlier than previously scheduled.
Regular Attendance Trends
Regular attendance, defined as attending over 90% of the term, has been declining since 2015:
- Term 2 2019: Only 58% of students attended regularly, down from 64% in 2018 and 70% in 2015.
- Significant Declines: Years 1-8 and among Māori and Pacific students.
Reasons for Absence
- Term 4 2023: Justified absences (including illness) and unjustified absences each made up 6.6% of term time, down from 7.2% and 7.3% respectively in Term 4 2022.
- Main Driver: Short-term illness/medical reasons.
- 2019 Data: Three-quarters of justified absences were due to illness, while just over half of unjustified absences were truancies or unexplained.
Efforts to Improve Attendance
Schools are urged to follow up on all student absences, particularly those that are unexplained or unjustified. The government’s attendance action plan aims to address the root causes of truancy and support families in overcoming barriers to regular attendance.
The Ministry of Education’s, Education Counts, website offers detailed attendance data, providing insights into regular attendance rates, reasons for absence, and schools’ responses to absences. As the data for Term 1, 2024, indicates, the ongoing efforts to improve school attendance are showing promising results, paving the way for a brighter educational future for New Zealand’s youth.
Sources: THX News, Education Counts & Ministry of Education.
