Pūhoro STEM Academy

The AgriBusiness Group conducted two formal Cost Benefit Analyses (CBA) using the New Zealand Treasury’s CBAx model for social cost benefit analysis. The Pūhoro Academy partners with a selection of secondary schools to operate a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Academy to increase Māori student engagement in STEM programmes. Pūhoro seeks to support secondary schools to prepare their Māori science students for transfer to tertiary study and from there into employment. The first CBA considered the economic value the Pūhoro Academy was producing through helping Māori students to achieve NCEA standards with an emphasis on STEM subjects. The second CBA investigated the potential economic benefit which could be generated through extending the Pūhoro Academy to tertiary education. The CBA’s provided an illustration of the power of a successful intervention in a young person’s life. The Pūhoro STEM Academy was shown to have the potential to generate significant economic benefits with the CBA demonstrating a return on investment of approximately 10:1.

For more information, contact Jay.