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15-year-olds nationwide have recorded their worst-ever results in an annual international assessment of reading, maths and science ability.
The Programme for International Student Assessment - known as PISA - examines average scores of OECD teenagers.
New Zealand ranked above average in all three subjects - though, only just so for maths.
There's been slippage year on year since 2009 but it has been more dramatic in recent years.
And the global average has also been on a slow decline since 2018, in line with the Covid-19 disruption.
To explain what this means for students beginning NCEA - founder of the Education Hub, Dr Nina Hood.