Labour's education spokesperson Jan Tinetti. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The former education minister denies the previous government is responsible for yet another drop in NCEA achievement.
Provisional results released on Wednesday show rates of students working towards NCEA Level 1, 2, 3 and University Entrance are down for the third consecutive year.
NZQA deputy chief executive for assessment Jann Marshall said three year's of pandemic related disruption has contributed to the slump.
Labour's education spokesperson and former education minister Jan Tinetti agreed Covid-19 had a big impact on achievement, but the Labour government was absolutely not to blame.
"That's why we had catch-up tutoring sessions, which were really, really successful and I hope that the result of those are taken into account because we do need an evidence based solution to making certain that our young people are staying on track."
Tinetti told Morning Report she would like the coalition government to continue the catch-up tutoring sessions and said Labour was prepared to support it in turning NCEA results around.
"I want to see numeracy and literacy results increasing, that's why we put in a strategy in place and that's why it has to be evidence based. As long as something has the evidence and I can see that the evidence will work, then I'm really supportive of it".
Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault also believed the impacts of the -19 pandemic continue to be felt in the education sector.
Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault. Photo: RNZ
Couillault told Morning Report they were not fine with the results, but they were not a shock to the system.
"Disappointing because you always hope things you put in place have got people back up over the line but it's certainly is a manifestation of the gaps in learning that have occurred over 2020, 2021 and the first part of 2022."
Couillault said it was not an excuse for the results, but more an explanation.
"When you look at global trends we're not dissimilar to jurisdictions, really."
Education Minister Erica Stanford declined Morning Report's request for an interview.
