Auditor-General's report published: Education for Māori: Using information to improve Māori educational success

The Auditor-General’s report Education for Māori: Using information to improve Māori educational success was presented to the House of Representatives today. This is the third report in our five-year work programme looking at Māori education. A two-page summary is also available.

This report focuses on the use of information across the education sector to support Māori educational success. Although Māori educational achievement is improving overall, results for Māori students from roughly similar communities, being educated in roughly similar settings and circumstances, are very different. Schools must collect, analyse, and use information about Māori students to ensure that they are doing everything they can to give Māori students the best chance at a great education.

We found that schools that used information effectively had better Māori student achievement. In our report, we have included examples of good practice where schools are doing this well. However, some of the information available isn’t of the right quality and there are gaps. Also, many of the schools operating in the most challenging circumstances had some of the least experienced leaders. New principals and teaching staff must receive enough support and mentoring to help them do their jobs well.

We have made recommendations for the Ministry of Education and schools to help them improve how and what information they collect and, most importantly, how it is used and shared to make transparent and well-informed decisions about where to invest to improve outcomes for Māori students.

Watch Senior Performance Auditor James Swindells talk about this report.

ENDS

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