The State of Maths Education in New Zealand: An Examination of the Issues

According to a report by the Education Review Office (ERO), the level of maths education in New Zealand schools is declining, as teachers lack the necessary skills to teach the subject effectively and modifications to the curriculum are not being implemented properly. The ERO report identifies a “slippage in expectations” in maths education across early schooling, with Kiwi children experiencing a “relative deterioration” in their maths skills compared to their international peers.

The report found that graduate teachers were entering the classroom without adequate maths teaching skills, and the curriculum was being “reinterpreted” by teachers, leading to a decline in standards.

National’s Paul Goldsmith, who obtained the report through an Official Information Act request, says that many in the education sector seem reluctant to admit there is an issue with overall student achievement. He believes that strong central leadership is needed to provide a more rigorous and consistent maths curriculum across the country.

Goldsmith also suggests that there should be greater central resources available for teachers to draw on, and attendance rates should rise. He proposes that some kind of national assessment should be reintroduced, although National Standards, which were removed by Education Minister Chris Hipkins, would not be brought back in their exact form.

Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti acknowledges that maths is symptomatic of a much larger issue around the way the system is funded, and that educators, teachers, and principals are calling for greater support in the classroom. She notes that the Government is working on a strategy to lift maths achievement by working with practitioners, experts, whānau, communities, and iwi to improve achievement data. Tinetti also says that the Government has changed standards for teacher learning to ensure that teachers need to pass literacy and numeracy tests.

Liam Rutherford, president of teaching union NZEI, says that teachers need greater access to professional learning and development, as well as time to be able to do it, and that they don’t have the support they need to do their job properly. Pūaotanga, an independent review into primary school staffing, found that the way schools are resourced and funded is “woefully inadequate, given the complexity of the issues” schools are required to deal with, he adds.

Overall, the report highlights the need for a stronger focus on maths education in New Zealand schools, as well as the importance of providing teachers with the necessary skills and resources to teach the subject effectively. With greater support and investment, it may be possible to reverse the decline in maths standards and ensure that Kiwi children are better equipped to succeed in this important subject.