Kiwis sticking with school for longer

New Zealanders spend an average of 19.7 years in education, two years more than in 1999, an Education Ministry report shows.

However, another study says participation rates in tertiary education have slightly declined.

A report into education expectancy found the length of time New Zealanders spend in education was the sixth-highest in the 27 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

New Zealanders spend more years in education than Americans and the Irish but 0.9 years less than Australians.

Longer participation in education was associated with higher levels of skills and knowledge and improved individuals and society, the report, which was based on 2007 figures, said.

Ministry education information and analysis group manager David Lambie said the increase of 2.5 years since 1999 could be attributed to people staying at school longer, an increase in those studying at certificate level and a rise in older people in part-time tertiary study.

In 2007, New Zealanders were spending an average of 14.6 years in primary and secondary school, one year studying certificate-level courses and 4.1 years in tertiary education.

New Zealand's participation rate for tertiary education was the fifth-highest of the OECD countries and was higher than the OECD average of 3.1 years.

However, a ministry report has found participation in tertiary education declined by 1 per cent from 2005 to 2008 after rising 68 per cent from 1998 to 2005.

Thirteen per cent of Kiwis aged 15 and over participated in some type of formal tertiary study at some time in 2008, down from 14 per cent in 2005.

The report said the drop was largely due to a decline in enrolments in level one to three certificates at wananga and private training establishments.

Te Wananga o Aotearoa curriculum and research executive director Dr Shane Edwards said a government cap on student numbers had led to a decline in those studying the vocational certificate-level courses.

Te Wananga had 34,000 fulltime equivalent students in 2005. That fell to 21,000 this year and was projected to drop to 19,000 next year.

"There may be some casualties of funding limits," Edwards said.

New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee deputy chairman Roger Field said the Government had decided to remove some of the low level qualifications that had contributed to that higher participation rate.

- © Fairfax NZ News