The number of Maori and Pasifika children going to pre-school is rising.
Photo: SUPPLIED
The Education Minister, Hekia Parata is welcoming the data.
Government figures show that in the year ending March, just over 14,500 tamariki Maori attended pre-school before going to primary school.
And over the same time nearly 7,300 Pasifika children were enrolled in early childhood education.
The Education Minister, Hekia Parata, said the Maori participation rate now stands at nearly 94 percent and Pasifika rate is at 91 percent.
Ms Parata said figures over a three year period show Maori participation in early education increased by 3.5 percent, and 4.8 percent for Pasifika children.
But she said there was still work to be done to reach children from vulnerable communities, who would benefit from early education.
The data shows almost 1,000 Maori and just over 700 Pacific children didn't attend pre-school.
It also identified that it didn't know whether 479 Maori and 226 Pasifika children had participated in early education over the same period.