PremiumDerek ChengSenior Writer·NZ Herald·9 Aug, 2026 05:00 PM11 mins to read‌Education Minister Erica Stanford lays out the government's plan to tackle declining literacy rates. Video / Herald NOWMore than 10,000 students left high school last year with no NCEA qualifications, despite overall achievement improving for a second consecutive year.Education Minister Erica Stanford describes them as the “long tail of failure of our education system”, who made up 15% of all school leavers in 2025.

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