New Literacy and Numeracy Data Underscores Urgency of Education Reforms

Education Minister Erica Stanford released the latest results from the Curriculum Insights & Progress Study (CIPS), which were collected in Term 4 of 2024.

The Government says new student achievement data confirms the importance of its sweeping education reforms, which are focused on reversing decades of decline in core skills and ensuring Kiwi students have strong foundations in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Education Minister Erica Stanford released the latest results from the Curriculum Insights & Progress Study (CIPS), which were collected in Term 4 of 2024. The study provides a national snapshot of achievement levels prior to the introduction of the Government’s reform programme in 2025.

Early Signs of Progress

The CIPS results show incremental improvement in mathematics achievement, with:

• 23% of Year 8 students meeting the curriculum benchmark for maths in 2024, up from 22% in 2023.

• 24% of Year 8 students meeting the new curriculum benchmark for writing.

While the numbers remain low, the Minister said they illustrate the Government’s determination to stem the decline and lay the groundwork for further progress.

“The data reconfirms why it was mission critical to have a laser focus on reading, writing and maths in classrooms this year. We are highly ambitious for Kiwi kids. We want them to have the strong foundations they need to do the best they can at school and beyond,” Stanford said.

The Reform Agenda

In response to alarming 2023 figures showing only 22% of Year 8 students were meeting the curriculum in maths, the Government launched the Make It Count maths action plan—a nationwide strategy to transform mathematics teaching.

Alongside maths, literacy has also been at the forefront of reforms. Key measures include:

• Mandating an hour a day of reading, writing, and maths in every school.

• Structured literacy programmes introduced in all primary schools to address long-term declines in reading achievement.

• A new world-leading Maths and English curriculum, designed to be clear, evidence-based, and focused on measurable outcomes.

• High-quality resources for teachers and students to support effective classroom learning.

• Expanded targeted interventions for struggling learners.

• Major investments in learning support services to ensure students with additional needs receive help earlier.

Stanford said these reforms were being implemented at pace: “We delivered quickly on our promise to mandate structured literacy in all primary schools, and we have surged resources into classrooms to support teachers and students.”

Why the Data Matters

The introduction of writing benchmarks under the refreshed curriculum provides, for the first time, a clearer national picture of how students are tracking in this critical skill. With only one in four Year 8 students meeting the expected writing standard, the figures underscore the urgency of reforms such as the Government’s ‘Make It Write’ action plan, which focuses on lifting writing outcomes.

Mathematics achievement, while showing modest improvement, remains well below desired levels. The Government argues that sustained investment and structured teaching approaches are essential to reversing long-standing trends of decline.

Looking Ahead

While the latest figures remain low by international standards, the Minister said they signal that reforms introduced in 2024 are beginning to take effect. She expects greater gains as changes bed into classrooms over the coming years.

“Early signs show our reforms are making a difference. As they bed in, we expect students are more likely to reach their full potential,” Stanford said.

The Government has made it clear that it sees student achievement as a top priority, framing literacy and numeracy skills as critical not only for educational success, but also for employment, civic participation, and long-term economic prosperity.