Students will still be able to apply for a leaving exemption if they have found a job or are moving into further training.
“What we don’t want is 16-year-olds dropping out of school with nothing to do but sit on the couch. These new requirements will help young people get the skills they need to get a job or into further learning.”
The party will also set nationally consistent start and finish dates for schools, Stanford said.
“Parents have told us how frustrating it is when their children attend different schools with different start and finish dates, leaving them juggling childcare and taking extra leave from work. So, we will work with schools on a more consistent calendar.”
She said the issue was “quite a problem”.
Some schools are “closing randomly” throughout the year and tacking in days at the end, Stanford said.
The change will not begin until 2028 because the 2027 school year has already been set.
The policy is part of a wider education manifesto which includes introducing the new Year 11 qualification in 2028 followed by the Year 12 and 13 certificates in 2029 and 2030.
“National is scrapping NCEA and from 2028 will begin replacing it with new national qualifications that are clearer and more credible and will give students, parents and employers confidence in what young people know and can do.
“With these new qualifications, our expectation is clear. Students should complete at least a full Year 11 of compulsory science, English and maths, and have the opportunity to gain the new Foundational Award in literacy and numeracy.”
Stanford told reporters today the requirement to stay until the end of Year 11 would affect about 5,000 students.
The last few months of the school year will be crucial with the new qualification, so it will be important for students to say for them, she said.
Stanford said National’s focus on teaching “the basics” to students is beginning to deliver results.
“We have introduced an hour a day each of reading, writing and maths, mandated structured literacy, backed teachers with training and resources, and made the largest investment in learning support in a generation.”
She said improvements in phonics, Year 6 maths, and writing have been observed.