Researcher Dr Cathy Wylie says in her report on the project: "Children from low income homes will not approach life on a level playing field. Low family income has enduring effects for children's competencies - children from these families perform less well in subjects including mathematics, literacy and problem-solving.

The most recent research on educational achievement shows that early childhood education makes a positive difference to learning. Children demonstrate more competency at primary school if they've started early childhood education before the age of three and if they've been taught by well-trained, reasonably-paid staff.

A briefing paper to Government states that early childhood services are seriously underfunded affecting the quality of the service that can be offered. Underfunding has a more severe impact on low-income families who are less able to pay.

Children from low-income families are less likely to get early childhood education.

A 1994 survey showed that only 57% of low-income families (earning less than $25,000 a year) were participating in early childhood education compared with 80% of those earning more than $50,000.

Schools serving poor children can raise much less money than others. The result is a growing gap between money available to schools in poorer communities and other schools.

All children, regardless of ability or family income, need access to good educational experiences to ensure success in their education. To achieve this we need well qualified and experienced teachers and appropriate class sizes.

"With the strong emphasis on the need for a high skilled workforce we must face the reality of our dismal lack of qualifications..... Making that training affordable, accessible and relevant will offer them a way out of unemployment. "

Poorer literacy was also found to be high among Maori and Pacific Island New Zealanders. These results come from a survey based on a random sample of 4223 New Zealander adults aged between 16 and 65.

Maori achievement and participation in education is improving. But compared to non-Maori, Maori are:
-- less likely to participate in all levels of education
-- less likely to remain to senior levels of secondary school.(Close to 40% of Maori children leave school without a qualification.)
-- less likely to go to university. (If they enrol for tertiary training it's more likely to be second chance programmes.)

Schools that foster the learning of Maori language have a high retention rate for Maori students and a reduction in cases of truancy and suspension. An NZ Educational Institute briefing paper states that Maori education is under-resourced, affecting the achievement of Maori children. The paper also highlights the serious shortage of trained Maori speaking teachers.
-- One in three students goes on to university from the wealthiest 20% of secondary schools, compared to one in sixteen from the poorest 20% of schools.
-- Students from poorer school districts are more likely to go to a polytechnic than a university. School-leavers from private schools are the most likely to attend university.

Four out of five tertiary students now use the loan scheme first introduced in 1992.
-- Over $2.6 million was owed by about 250,000 borrowers at 31 March this year.
-- This is forecast to reach $3 billion by the end of the year and $4 billion by the year 2000.
-- Interest starts accruing immediately even while a student is studying.

The cost of tertiary education is going to keep thousands of New Zealanders in debt throughout their working lives. Even if the income is insufficient to require repayment, the interest - and so the debt - continues to accumulate.

Because of differences in income between men and women:
-- 50% of women will still be repaying their loans by the age of 40 and
-- 10% will still be repaying at age 64.
-- Up to 35% of Maori women graduates will still be paying off their loans at 64.

Education and training are the keys to our children's future. If we're serious about becoming a "smart" society we cannot afford to let our children miss out on educational and training opportunities. But a good education shouldn't depend on how much money parents can afford to spend on their children.

Sources -- Six Years Old & Competent, Wylie C, NZ Council for Educational Research (1998); Self-Managing Schools Seven Years On - What have we learnt? Wylie C, NZ Council for Educational Research (1997);Non Government Organisations Report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (1996); Adult Literacy in New Zealand: Results from the International Adult Literacy Survey, Ministry of Education; Progress Towards Closing Social and Economic Gaps Between Maori and Non-Maori: A report to the Minister of MaoriAffairs, Te Puni Kokiri - Ministry of Maori Development (1998); Maori Workload, Te Huarahi (PPTA) and Te Reo Areare (NZEI Te Rui Roa (October 1997); The Myth of Equal Opportunity: Wealth of School-District as a Determinant of Tertiary Participation, APSU/NZUSA (1998); Ministry of Education, replies to Select Committee questions (1 May 1998)