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Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today launched the Government’s action plan to encourage engagement with science and technology across all sectors of New Zealand.

A Nation of Curious Minds: He Whenua Hirihi I te Mahara – is the blueprint for the Science in Society Project and has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Ministry of Education with close involvement from the office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor. 

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today welcomed the release of the 2014 mid-year Better Public Service results, which show great progress towards the Result Areas 5 and 6 education targets.

Result 5 targets increasing the proportion of 18-year-olds with NCEA level 2 or equivalent qualification to 85 per cent by 2017, while Result 6 targets 55 per cent of the population aged 25 to 34 years having a Level 4 or higher qualification by 2017.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today welcomed the report back on the Education Amendment Bill (No 2).

“The report back, by majority, was completed by the Education and Science Committee, which carefully considered the many submissions received from individuals and organisations,” Ms Parata says. 

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced that 5,250 student places will be available across New Zealand’s 22 Trades Academies in 2015. This is an increase of 750 places from the current allocation of 4,500 places.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the release of the Creative Industries Vocational Pathway at the Te Ara Whakamana: Pathways, Transitions and Bridges to Tertiary Education Forum 2014 in Wellington.

The Creative Industries Pathway is the sixth in a series of pathways designed to help students select subjects at both senior secondary school and in foundation-level tertiary education in vocational areas that interest them.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata welcomed the first reading of the Education Amendment Bill in Parliament today, which will make a number of legislative changes aimed at strengthening the education profession.

The Bill will help the profession meet the challenges and opportunities of modern learning, and promote high standards of safety and accountability for teachers. It will also modernise the governance bodies of universities and wānanga. 

Around 1,000 more young people remained in education at age 17 and more young people achieved NCEA Level 2 because of Youth Guarantee programmes, a new Ministry of Education report shows.

The first Youth Guarantee Monitoring Report (2010-2012) shows that Youth Guarantee programmes have been successful at increasing the retention of at-risk young people in education and raising their achievement.

The Government is providing $10.5 million in additional funding for schools to raise student achievement in maths and science, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Boosting the skills and achievement of our young people in maths and science are essential for their future careers and for New Zealand’s economic growth and prosperity,” Mr Joyce says.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the Science and Society project, a unique joint education-science sector plan to lift engagement and achievement in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) across New Zealand.

More young New Zealanders are succeeding in education with further progress towards achieving the Government’s Better Public Service [BPS] results targets.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata say the Government’s drive for greater NCEA success is showing strong results that are making a real difference for young people.

Result 5: Increase the proportion of 18-year-olds with NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualification

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today welcomed the OECD’s latest education report, saying the findings show New Zealand continues to deliver a world-class education.

Education at a Glance 2013 compares education in 34 OECD and eight other countries, using data from 2010 and 2011.

According to the report, New Zealand is:

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata have this morning launched the final Vocational Pathway publications, allowing senior secondary and foundation tertiary students to make more informed decisions about how their learning choices relate to future employment possibilities.

“These publications highlight the areas of learning that different industries value, allowing students to build a profile of learning that includes the relevant skills and knowledge that employers are looking for,” Mr Joyce says.

A unique partnership between tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and Pacific churches has seen hundreds of Pacific people trained to help in the Christchurch rebuild, says Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Hekia Parata.

The two groups combined to implement the $6 million Pacific Trades Training Initiative, which is part of the Government’s wider $42 million Skills for Canterbury package to maintain the expanded training pipeline for trades people for the Canterbury rebuild.

A new initiative aimed at raising achievement among Pasifika students has been launched by the Government today in Auckland.

The Pasifika Education Plan 2013-2017, which has been developed by the Education and Pacific Island Affairs Ministries sets out how ministries can work together with other agencies, schools and communities to help raise achievement among Pasifika students.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today released two action plans which detail the Government’s work to achieve the Better Public Service targets of boosting skills and employment.

The Result Action Plans – 5 and 6 – were announced by the Ministers at the Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) in Petone.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce and Minister of Education Hekia Parata today announced five Vocational Pathways to support young people progressing from school into tertiary training and a career.

“The Vocational Pathways bring together the standards and skills recommended by five broad sectors of industry and link these to study and employment possibilities. They show young people how their skills and knowledge will be valued in the ‘real world’ when they look for a job and start their career,” Mr Joyce says.

The Government’s Better Public Service targets for education are about giving more New Zealanders the opportunity to succeed, and increasing the skill level of our workforce, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata say.

The Government has two targets for boosting skills and employment: 

The Education and Tertiary Education Ministers have today released a draft programme to guide the renewal of the education network in greater Christchurch following the Canterbury earthquakes.

“Directions for Education Renewal in Greater Christchurch” is the result of several months of engagement with education leaders, teachers, young people, business leaders, stakeholders, and Ngāi Tahu.

It outlines a number of proposals which could change the way education is delivered in the greater Christchurch area.

A total of 9616 training places will be available in 2012 for 16 and 17 year olds under the Government's Youth Guarantee Scheme, Tertiary Education, Skills & Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

The Government is investing more than $100 million in the Youth Guarantee Scheme in 2012, which encompasses fees-free tertiary places at levels 1-3 for 16 and 17 year olds, and Trades Academies.

The Government is providing $6 million to support Pacific peoples enter into trades training in 2012 and 2013 to assist with the Christchurch rebuild, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce and Minister of Pacific Island Affairs Hekia Parata announced today.

The initiative, part of the Government’s wider Skills for Canterbury contingency package of $42 million, is providing up to 300 fees-free places in trades training throughout New Zealand.