School Attendance Increases in Term 2 of 2024, but More Efforts Needed: David Seymour

Seymour stressed the importance of this target, pointing out that missing just one week per term could result in a year of lost education by age 16.

Data released today by Associate Education Minister David Seymour shows an increase in school attendance during Term 2 of 2024, with 53.2% of students regularly attending—an improvement of 6.1 percentage points compared to the same period last year.

Primary school attendance rose by 7 percentage points, reaching 56.8%, while secondary attendance improved by 4.5 percentage points, hitting 46.7%. The increases were consistent across all ethnicity groups, year levels, and school equity index groups.

"Attending school is the first step toward achieving positive education outcomes, which lead to better health, higher incomes, job stability, and greater community participation. Every student deserves these opportunities," said Mr. Seymour.

Significant Regional Improvements

Every education region reported attendance growth, with South and South-West Auckland, along with Tai Tokerau, showing the largest gains—up 10.3 and 9.4 percentage points, respectively, compared to Term 2 of 2023.

Regular attendance is defined as students being present for more than 90% of the term. The Government aims for 80% of students to meet this threshold by 2030. Seymour stressed the importance of this target, pointing out that missing just one week per term could result in a year of lost education by age 16.

Challenges and Next Steps

Winter illnesses contributed to attendance still lagging behind 2019 levels when nearly 58% of students regularly attended school. Seymour acknowledged that while attendance is improving, there is still much work to do to meet pre-pandemic levels and reach future goals.

To address the issue, Seymour announced Phase 2 of the Government’s Attendance Action Plan, which aims to involve schools, the Ministry of Education, government agencies, families, and caregivers in getting students back into the classroom.

"If the truancy crisis isn't addressed, it will cast a long shadow—people who missed out on education when young are less likely to work, participate in society, and are more likely to depend on benefits. This is a serious challenge we must confront," Seymour concluded.