Hon Bill English National Party Education Spokesman
22 June 2005
NCEA: the nightmare continues...
National Party Education spokesman Bill English revealed in Parliament today that schools where 100% of students sitting
NCEA Level 1 Technology failed have since found, on having the papers reassessed, that 70% actually passed.
He says this makes a joke of the qualification.
"The markers are doing worse than monkeys throwing darts.
"It is a disgrace that after three years of trial and NCEA error, thousands of 15-year-old students enrolled in
technology cannot get a fair and valid assessment of their hard work.
"Technology teachers are growing increasingly frustrated with a system that cheats their students and completely
undermines standards.
"Labour continues to ignore the problems in NCEA. Trevor Mallard confirmed in Parliament today that he and his education
agencies have known about serious problems with Technology assessment for three years.
"Clearly nothing has been done in that time. It seems that Ministers and bureaucrats would rather see students cheated
of fair results than admit there are problems with their precious NCEA.
"The qualification needs a serious overhaul to make sure students get a fair and valid assessment and teachers are not
bogged down in a paper war.
"Young people should be encouraged to take trades and skills training, but this kind of nonsense will put them off,"
says Mr English.
ENDS