Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand

New Zealand: Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level was 71.2% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
71.2%
World rank
27th
of 63 countries
All-time high
87.4%
in 2000
All-time low
71.2%
in 2022
Years of data
8
2000–2022

Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand, 2000–2022

0204060802000201120222000: 87.4 %2003: 84.9 %2006: 86 %2009: 84.6 %2012: 77.4 %2015: 78.4 %2018: 78.2 %2022: 71.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand is 71.2%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.

The figure is down 7.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand peaked at 87.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 71.2%, in 2022.

New Zealand ranks 27th of 63 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand, 2000 to 2022.
Year % Change
2000 87.4%
2003 84.9% -2.8%
2006 86.0% +1.2%
2009 84.6% -1.6%
2012 77.4% -8.5%
2015 78.4% +1.3%
2018 78.2% -0.2%
2022 71.2% -8.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 85.7% 84.6% 87.4% 4
2010s 78.0% 77.4% 78.4% 3
2020s 71.2% 71.2% 71.2% 1

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 24 Spain 72.7% compare
  2. 25 Netherlands 72.7% compare
  3. 26 Lithuania 72.2% compare
  4. 28 France 71.2% compare
  5. 29 Germany 70.5% compare
  6. 30 Portugal 70.3% compare

See the full ranking of 63 places →

More education data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand?
Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand was 71.2% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 87.4% in 2000.
What is the lowest share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 71.2% in 2022.
How does New Zealand rank for share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level?
New Zealand ranks 27th out of 63 countries with data for 2022.
Is share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.9%. 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 – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-students-achieving-minimum-proficiency-in-reading-and-math-by-education-level/new-zealand/

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<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-students-achieving-minimum-proficiency-in-reading-and-math-by-education-level/new-zealand/">Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in New Zealand</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
63 places, 434 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%).