Table CNT4.1 shows the distribution of year four overall numeracy scores in Tonga against the PILNA numeracy proficiency scale. This scale converts a student’s overall numeracy score into a level ranking from zero to eight. The expected minimum overall numeracy performance for year four students is proficiency level three. Pacific stakeholders expect these students to reach or exceed this proficiency level.

The average overall numeracy score for year four students in Tonga in 2021 was 487.82 (SD = 59.49). This corresponds to proficiency level four in the PILNA numeracy proficiency scale (level four is assigned to scores 475–500). On average, year four students in Tonga are achieving the minimum expected standard in numeracy.

The average numeracy score does not tell us the whole story. The proportion of students who are meeting the minimum expected standard is also important. Approximately 75% of the year four students in Tonga, three out of four, performed at or above this expected level (levels 3–8) in PILNA 2021, while approximately 25% of the students, one out of four, performed below the expected proficiency level (levels 0–2). In other words, most year four students are meeting the minimum expected level for numeracy, but there is a significant proportion (25%) who are yet to meet the minimum expected proficiency level.

On average, year four students in Tonga (487.82) are scoring higher in numeracy than year four students in the region (478.91). Also, the proportion of year four students in Tonga who are meeting the minimum expected proficiency level for numeracy (75%) is higher than the proportion across the region (67%) as seen in Table CNT4.2.

When looking at the Tonga distribution of year four numeracy proficiency scores in 2021 by gender (Table CNT4.3), differences can be seen. Approximately 81% of girls performed at or above the minimum expected proficiency level (levels 3–8) compared to approximately 70% of boys. Additionally, boys represented higher proportions of the students performing at level zero and level one than girls; 13% of year four boys performed at level one compared to 8% of girls, and 5% of boys performed at level zero compared to 3% of girls.