NCEA Reforms Under Scrutiny: Education Minister Faces Tough Choices Over Qualification's Future

New Zealand’s secondary education system is at a crossroads as Education Minister Erica Stanford prepares to unveil significant reforms to the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). A confidential government briefing, obtained by the Herald, highlights deepening concerns about the credibility of the qualification, which has been the cornerstone of secondary education for years.

The briefing, shared with Stanford in June, outlines a series of alarming trends, including the misuse of NCEA’s flexibility to prioritize credit accumulation over meaningful learning. With no nationally compulsory course, schools and students have significant freedom to choose which subjects and standards to pursue, leading to inconsistencies in learning outcomes.

Flexibility Turned Flaw

The NCEA’s design allows students to select combinations of standards perceived as easier to maximize credit accumulation. However, this has led to a growing number of students achieving qualifications without engaging in a full, coherent program of study. Nearly half of Year 12 students who achieved Level 2 did so without participating in a full program of subject-based learning.

The Education Review Office (ERO) found that Level 1, which was overhauled in 2023, is “difficult to understand” and not preparing students for future achievement. One of the options on the table is to “drop it entirely.”

External Assessments in Decline

There has been a significant decline in student participation in external assessments, with only 22% of 2024 results achieved through external exams. In 2015, 77% of students sat all three core science subjects in the Level 3 exam, but by 2024, that number had dropped to 49%.

This decline has raised concerns about the depth and consistency of subject learning. With the rise of AI, verifying the authenticity of internal assessments has become increasingly challenging. In 2024, over 250,000 students did not sit external exams, many believing they had sufficient credits to meet qualification requirements.

A Path Forward

Stanford emphasized that all options are on the table, including rethinking external exams, reducing flexibility, and potentially scrapping Level 1. She stressed the need for clear communication, careful planning, and strong resourcing to ensure a smooth transition.

Labour leader and former Education Minister Chris Hipkins suggested that Level 1 should be targeted at students unlikely to reach Level 3, providing a foundation for apprenticeships and vocational training.

As the Education Minister prepares to outline proposals in the coming months, the future of NCEA hangs in the balance. With schools increasingly turning to alternatives like the International Baccalaureate and Cambridge assessments, the challenge remains to create a robust, internationally comparable qualification that sets students up for success.