Updated 3.40pm: A think tank have released a report saying the New Zealand education system needs to go back to basics when teaching maths.

The New Zealand Initiative have presented their findings to Education Minister Hon Hekia Parata who will speak at the report's launch event today.

Research Fellow Rose Patterson wrote the Un(ac)countable report which analyzes the history of the Numeracy Project, a programme rolled out across primary schools almost 15 years ago.

The $70 million programme sought to teach children maths in new and exciting ways through problem solving but Patterson says it backfired.

The report found teaching changes made by the Numeracy Project programme focused more on problem solving to find mathematical solutions as opposed to learning the basic traditional forms first.

Executive Director Dr Oliver Hartwich reports the method only works for students and teachers who really like maths and have a thorough understanding of the basics.

He believes the best way to teach math is by using both the basic repetition and problem solving techniques.

He adds applying the problem solving method alienates students and teachers who do not learn that way.

Amongst the solutions proposed by the think tank is the idea of certifying math teachers with a separate certificate atop of their degrees.

Minister Hekia Parata isn't denying there's a problem, but maintains the Government has been responding to it.

"We put a lot of funding into professional learning and development. We provide about $70 million a year and it includes investing into maths professional learning and development."