More teenagers are leaving school without any qualifications.
That's according to Ministry of Education figures which show 15 percent of students who finished school last year did not achieve any level of NCEA.
The Ministry blames the increase from 11 per cent in 2019 on more students leaving school before they turn 17 and fewer schools offering a full NCEA level 1 course.
Secondary Principals Association president Vaughan Couillault spoke to Guyon Espiner.