Updated 6.22pm: A warning from officials that our education system is continuing to fail many students.

Hekia Parata has been briefed by the Ministry of Education, ahead of another term in her education portfolio.

She's been told more students are getting engaged in early childhood education, and achieving qualifications that lead to employment.

But the performance of primary and secondary school students in maths, science and reading is in decline.

The briefing states that early childhood education is failing to reach the children who need it most.

Under-achievement also continues to be high among Maori, Pasifika and poorer students.

Providing more options to more markets could be key to the education sector's recovery.

Education minister Hekia Parata has received a post-election briefing from Education New Zealand.

The sector has suffered during the 2008 financial crisis and the Canterbury recovery.

But she's been told it could recover, through increased marketing in countries with fast-growing economies and youth populations.

Allowing more foreign students to study remotely from overseas could also allow the sector to reach a growth target of five percent a year.