New Zealand to Replace NCEA with Revised Qualification System: What You Need to Know

The New Zealand government has announced a major overhaul of its secondary school qualification system, marking the end of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), a program that has been in place for over two decades. The changes, set to be implemented gradually over the next five years, aim to better align education with the needs of the modern workforce and provide clearer pathways for students into further study, training, and employment.

What is Happening to NCEA?

The government plans to replace NCEA with a new qualification system that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described as one that will equip graduates with the skills needed to succeed in the modern global economy. While the new system will retain a standards-based assessment model similar to NCEA, significant changes are on the horizon.

NCEA Level 1, typically undertaken by Year 11 students, will be abolished. Instead, Year 11 students will be required to take English and Mathematics and sit a new 'Foundational Skills Award' test, which will assess literacy and numeracy. It remains unclear whether this test will be the same as the current online literacy and numeracy assessments.

Two new qualifications will replace NCEA Level 2 and Level 3: the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) for Year 12 students and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) for Year 13 students. Students will be required to take five subjects and pass at least four to attain each certificate in Years 12 and 13.

The new system will return to A to E grading, replacing the current