School leavers with higher qualificationsDefinitionThe proportion of secondary school leavers who leave school with qualifications higher than National Certificate of Educational Attainment (NCEA) Level 1. These include Sixth Form Certificate, NCEA Level 2, Higher School Certificate, Entrance Qualification and University Bursary. RelevanceUpper secondary education serves as the foundation for higher (post-secondary) learning and training opportunities as well as preparation for direct entry into the labour market. Those who leave school early with few qualifications are at a much greater risk of unemployment or vulnerability in the labour force and of having low incomes.39 Current level and trendsIn 2003, 67 percent of school leavers (36,000) left school with qualifications higher than NCEA Level 1, an increase from 63 percent in 2002. The proportion of school leavers with at least Sixth Form Certificate or NCEA Level 2 qualifications has increased considerably from 47 percent in 1986. However, most of the increase occurred in the late 1980s. Since 1990, the proportion has fluctuated between 63 percent and 67 percent. The proportion of school leavers attaining an A or B Bursary or Scholarship also increased during the period 1986–1991 and has remained around 18–22 percent over the past decade. In 2003, 20 percent of school leavers (10,500) had attained an A or B Bursary, an increase from 19 percent in 2002. The lack of sustained growth in the proportion of school leavers with higher qualifications since the early 1990s may be explained, in part, by an increase in employment and training opportunities for those without higher qualifications. Figure K2.1 Proportion of school leavers with higher qualifications, 1986–2003
Source: Ministry of Education Sex differencesIn 2003, 71 percent of female school leavers had qualifications higher than NCEA Level 1, compared to 63 percent of males. Between 1986 and 2003 the proportion of school leavers with at least Sixth Form Certificate/NCEA Level 2 or Bursary improved at a faster rate for females than for males. Table K2.1 Proportion (%) of school leavers with higher qualifications, by sex, selected years, 1986–2003
Source: Ministry of Education Ethnic differencesThe proportion of Māori school leavers with qualifications higher than NCEA Level 1 increased sharply between 2002 and 2003, from 39 percent to 45 percent. Among Pacific school leavers, the proportion with higher qualifications increased from 54 percent in 2002 to 59 percent in 2003. However, these improved outcomes for Māori and Pacific students had little effect on ethnic differences in school attainment because there were also increases in the proportion of European and Asian school leavers with higher qualifications between 2002 and 2003 (from 68 to 72 percent for Europeans and from 84 to 86 percent for Asians). There is also a substantial difference between ethnic groups in the proportions leaving school with Bursary or similar higher qualifications. In 2003, 4 percent of Māori and Pacific school leavers gained an A or B Bursary or National Certificate at Level 3 or above, compared with 23 percent of European and 42 percent of Asian school leavers. There has been little change in these proportions over the decade to 2003. Table K2.2 Proportion (%) of school leavers with higher qualifications by ethnic group, selected years, 1991–2003
Source: Ministry of Education Socio-economic differencesYoung people from schools that draw their students from low socio-economic communities are less likely than other young people to attain higher school qualifications. In 2003, only 52 percent of school leavers from decile 1–3 schools (in the most disadvantaged communities) attained NCEA Level 2 or higher qualifications, compared with 64 percent of those leaving decile 4–7 schools and 79 percent of those leaving decile 8–10 schools. |
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