If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.
If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the News story.
Use the vocabulary list to check the meanings of some words before you listen.
Vocabulary
school leavers – someone who has just left school
literacy – the ability to read and write
numeracy – the ability to count and do simple maths
compulsory – if something is compulsory, you must do it because of a law or rule
principal – the head teacher, the person in charge of a school
wealthier – richer, having more money and possessions. Comparative form of wealthy
Try these activities while listening
1. Listening for main ideas
First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?
2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:
- In 2025, how many school leavers had no NCEA certificate or equivalent qualifications?
- What percentage of school leavers was this?
- Why may the figure be higher, closer to 19%?
- What percentage of school leavers in poorer communities had no qualification?
- What is one reason for the increase in these figures?
- What did principals at several schools in lower socio-economic areas say?
- What was there a slight increase in?
- What is the main reason why the percentage of Māori and Pacific school leavers with qualifications is lower?
- What does the speaker say about students from wealthier families?
3. Language focus – reference pronouns (these, they, their, them)
What do the words in bold refer back to?
One reason for the increase in these figures is the new online literacy and numeracy tests. These were introduced in 2024 and are compulsory. If students do not pass them, they do not get an NCEA qualification. Principals at several schools in lower socio-economic areas said that their students struggle with the pressure of exams. They said that they can read and write but the online tests are not a fair test of their abilities. If young people have no qualifications, it is very difficult for them to find work.
News story
A high percentage of secondary school students have left school in the last three years with no formal qualifications.
According to the Ministry of Education, in 2025 10,496 out of 70,786 school leavers had no NCEA certificate or equivalent qualifications. That was 15 percent of last year’s school leavers, the same percentage as the previous two years, whereas before the Covid pandemic it was 10 to 11 percent. However, the figure may in fact be higher, closer to 19 percent. This is because the Ministry counts students who are half-way to a level 2 or 3 NCEA certificate as if they had a qualification, even if they did not have level 1. In addition, the problem is even worse in poorer communities. More than 25 percent of school leavers from schools in those areas had no qualification.
One reason for the increase in these figures is the new online literacy and numeracy tests. These were introduced in 2024 and are compulsory. If students do not pass them, they do not get an NCEA qualification. Principals at several schools in lower socio-economic areas said that their students struggle with the pressure of exams. They said that they can read and write but the online tests are not a fair test of their abilities. If young people have no qualifications, it is very difficult for them to find work.
However, in 2025 there was a slight increase in the percentage of school leavers with higher level qualifications. 78 percent had at least NCEA level 2 (a one percentage point increase), and 59 percent had level 3 (a three percentage point increase).
There were also slight increases in the percentage of Māori and Pacific school leavers with these qualifications. 63 percent of Māori leavers had level 2 and 41 percent had level 3. 74 percent of Pacific leavers had level 2 and 53 percent had level 3. The main reason for the lower percentages for these students, compared with the overall figures, is that they are much more likely to live in poverty than other students. As a result, they may have fewer resources such as computers and books. Their parents may also have had negative experiences at school and may not have high qualifications. In New Zealand and in other countries, students from wealthier families tend to do better at school, because their parents are usually well-educated and can support their children’s education.
Answers – you don’t have to write a complete sentence as long as you have the key idea in your answer.
a. In 2025, how many school leavers had no NCEA certificate or equivalent qualifications?
10,496
b. What percentage of school leavers was this?
15 percent
c. Why may the figure be higher, closer to 19%?
Because the Ministry counts students who are half-way to a level 2 or 3 NCEA certificate as if they had a qualification, even if they did not have level 1
d. What percentage of school leavers in poorer communities had no qualification?
More than 25 percent
e. What is one reason for the increase in these figures?
Because of the new online literacy and numeracy tests. (These were introduced in 2024 and are compulsory.) If students do not pass them, they do not get an NCEA qualification
f. What did principals at several schools in lower socio-economic areas say?
Their students struggle with the pressure of exams. They said that they can read and write but the online tests are not a fair test of their abilities
g. What was there a slight increase in?
The percentage of school leavers with higher level qualifications
h. What is the main reason why the percentage of Māori and Pacific school leavers with qualifications is lower?
They are much more likely to live in poverty than other students. As a result, they may have fewer resources such as computers and books. Their parents may also have had negative experiences at school and may not have high qualifications
i. What does the speaker say about students from wealthier families?
In New Zealand and in other countries, students from wealthier families tend to do better at school, because their parents are usually well-educated and can support their children’s education.
3. Language focus – reference pronouns (these, they, their, them)
these figures – the percentages mentioned in the previous paragraph
These were introduced – the new online literacy and numeracy tests
If students do not pass them – the new online literacy and numeracy tests
they do not get an NCEA qualification – students
their students struggle – principals at several schools in lower socio-economic areas
They said that they can read and write – principals said that the students…
but the online tests are not a fair test of their abilities – students’
If young people have no qualifications, it is very difficult for them to find work – young people