Hon Bill English
National Party Education Spokesman
14 February 2005
PM out of line in defence of NCEA Ministers
National's Education spokesman, Bill English, says Helen Clark's defence of the Ministers responsible for the NCEA
scholarship debacle is out of line.
"The Prime Minister stepped into the debate today, blaming the NZQA for all of the problems with the NCEA in order to
protect both Trevor Mallard and David Benson-Pope.
"The NZQA has become so incompetent because it is overseen by a Government that steps in to defend its problems and
attack every critic of the NCEA.
"Labour has worked hand-in-glove with the NZQA to implement the NCEA. It's a bit rich for it to turn around now and
attack it.
"I am also shocked by Helen Clark's admission that extra scholarships were created by Trevor Mallard despite the fact
that he was fully aware of the shambolic state of the exam results," says Mr English.
Ends