Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in New Zealand

New Zealand: Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education was 73.3% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
73.3%
World rank
15th
of 36 countries
All-time high
84.8%
in 2003
All-time low
73.3%
in 2018
Years of data
6
2000–2018

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in New Zealand, 2000–2018

0204060802000200920182000: 83.8 %2003: 84.8 %2006: 82.4 %2009: 83.4 %2012: 77.8 %2018: 73.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

New Zealand recorded 73.3% for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.

The figure is down 12.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in New Zealand peaked at 84.8% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 73.3%, in 2018.

New Zealand ranks 15th of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, rural areas, both sexes (%) in New Zealand, 2000 to 2018.
Year % Change
2000 83.8%
2003 84.8% +1.1%
2006 82.4% -2.8%
2009 83.4% +1.2%
2012 77.8% -6.7%
2018 73.3% -5.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 83.6% 82.4% 84.8% 4
2010s 75.6% 73.3% 77.8% 2

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 12 Spain 76.8% compare
  2. 13 United States of America 74.3% compare
  3. 14 Austria 73.7% compare
  4. 16 Iceland 70.4% compare
  5. 17 Luxembourg 70.4% compare
  6. 18 Australia 66.4% compare

See the full ranking of 36 places →

More reference data data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in New Zealand?
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in New Zealand was 73.3% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 84.8% in 2003.
What is the lowest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 73.3% in 2018.
How does New Zealand rank for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education?
New Zealand ranks 15th out of 36 countries with data for 2018.
Is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, rural areas, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-students-at-the-end-of-lower-secondary-education-achieving-at-least-a-26/new-zealand/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-students-at-the-end-of-lower-secondary-education-achieving-at-least-a-26/new-zealand/">Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in New Zealand</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, rural areas, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
36 places, 200 data points, 2000–2018
Last refreshed

Percentage of children at the end of lower secondary education reaching at least a minimum proficiency level in reading. A minimum proficiency level (MPL) is the benchmark of basic knowledge in a domain (mathematics, reading, etc.) measured through learning assessments. The indicator is calculated as the number of children and/or young people at the relevant stage of education n in a given year t achieving or exceeding the pre-defined proficiency level in a given subject s, expressed as a percentage of the total number of children and/or young people at stage of education n, in year t, in any proficiency level in subject s. The higher the value of the indicator, the higher the proportion of children or young adults who have acquired the minimum level of meaningful competencies. Data are calculated by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics from sources that include the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Programme for International Student Assessment for Development (PISA-D), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), El Laboratorio Latino americano de Evaluación de la Calidad de la Educación (LLECE), Programme d’analyse des systèmes éducatifs de la confemen (PASEC), Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ), Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA), national assessments data collected through the Catalogue of Learning Assessments (CLA) and/or available in national reports, and population-based assessments (Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA), UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), People’s Action for Learning (PAL) NETWORK: e.g. Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), UWEZO, etc.)). For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute for Statistics: http://uis.unesco.org/