Maori educational achievement rates

One News reports:

Kelvin Davis says when schools accept low achievement rates from its Māori students, without aspiring to better them, it shows there is “systemic racism” in the education system.

The Associate Education Minister (Māori Education), speaking today about anti-racism school programme Te Hurihanganui, said “Māori deserve nothing worse” than achieving “at the highest levels in the world whatever they do”. 

But, Davis said among some teachers, there was an “acceptance” low Māori achievement was simply the way things were. 

Davis said accepting the status quo wasn’t good enough. 

I agree the status quo isn’t good enough. So let’s look at how Labour has done in improving Maori achievement rates in their fight against systemic racism.

So under the racist National Government the percentage of Maori leaving school with no qualifications dropped from 37% to 18%. The kind caring Labour Government saw it increase to 22%.

And how have the rates changed for NCEA Level 2, generally regarded as the minimum someone should leave with?

Again under the racist National Government the percentage of Maori leaving school with NCEA Level 2 increased from 46% to 69%. The kind caring Labour Government saw it drop back to 65%.

So Kelvin Davis is right in saying he rejects the status quo. Labour has actually worsened the status quo for Maori school leavers!