Worrying Signs about NCEA

Just as we thought NZQA had a handle on standards and what parents and employers expect from NCEA, comes disturbing information students are choosing to do only the minimum amount of work to "pass" the NCEA....

Now I thought there was no "pass". The NCEA was to be a a record of what the student has learned and the standard they learned it to or could apply their learnings. It was a part of "life-long learning".

It would appear that there is a "Pass" and surprise surprise students do whatever it takes to jump the hurdle. Nothing more. This fact is not news. The result of students setting new lows of performance, alarming Heads and Principals across the country, is that many students are inadequately prepared for University. The reason for the comprehensive NCEA qualification is to prepare these people for further education and life in general. Seems all they do is cherry pick the easy stuff.

University is where you actually have to cover ALL the course work to pass. The Universities are struggling as they assume minimum standards for incoming students. Universities are having to take additional time and resource to educate these students before they can train them.

NZQA seems to have failed our students again.