Hon Bill English - National Party Education Spokesman

11 February 2005

Scholarship fees must be refunded

National's Education spokesman, Bill English, says students who have already paid for their scholarship exam papers to be reassessed should be refunded.

Students have until Tuesday to resubmit their exam papers, at a cost of $20 per paper.

Labour says it is looking into waiving the fee in light of controversy surrounding discrepancies with the exams but Mr English says that isn't good enough because most students will have already paid the fee.

"Labour has ripped these students off enough with changes to the monetary awards."

Earlier this week Labour admitted there were considerable discrepancies in the NCEA scholarship exams, with some subjects being awarded significantly more pass marks than others.

400 students have subsequently been awarded 'Distinction Awards' as compensation. It is not known what weight these awards will carry with tertiary institutions.

"It's hardly fair to now expect students to pay for reassurance that they aren't the victims of a botched system. The fees must go," says Mr English.

ENDS

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