NZers rate education higher than the economy

Education rates highly in a survey of New Zealand values related to economic growth and innovation.

The government's Growth and Innovation Advisory Board survey, released earlier this year, shows that quality of education, along with quality of life, the environment and education, is in the top tier of factors of importance to New Zealanders.

The diagram below shows the importance people attach to aspects of New Zealand life and how they rate their performance.

The survey says New Zealanders have latent ambition and are committed to self improvement providing a sound platform on which to build a growth and innovation culture. It suggests that New Zealanders try to do their personal best and with the right sort of support they could better their personal best.

Economic growth, as a motivating concept for New Zealanders, is at its strongest when associated with the achievement of education, lifestyle, environment and health benefits - that is, when it is self-relevant.

It is at its weakest when it is perceived as a remote idea with little connection to daily life and shared values - for example, "top half of the OECD" - and has been weakened by "past associations and negative perceptions", the survey says.

The survey is at this web page.