A jump in the number of teens leaving school with no formal qualifications has continued.
By John Gerritsen of RNZ
Education Ministry figures show 15% of last year's school leavers had no NCEA certificate or equivalent qualification – the same figure as the previous two years and worse than the pre-Covid figure of 10-11%.
It means 10,473 teens left school in 2025 with no NCEA certificate or other qualification.
At schools in the poorest neighbourhoods more than a quarter of leavers had nothing.
The figures showed 78% of last year's leavers had at least NCEA level two (a one percentage point increase), and 59% had level three (up three percentage points).
The percentage of Māori and Pacific leavers with level two increased slightly to 63% and 74% respectively.
The percentage of Māori and Pacific leavers with at least level three increased three percentage points to 41% and 53% respectively.
The figures showed 18% of last year's leavers did not meet the NCEA literacy and numeracy co-requisite.
Although 85% met the literacy requirement and 85% met the numeracy requirement, only 82% met both.
At schools facing the highest levels of socio-economic disadvantage 73% met the numeracy requirement and 74% the literacy but only 68% met both.
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