Awatere Huata Donna: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Awatere Huata Donna: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:618;Page:13548] 
5.  
DONNA AWATERE HUATA (Independent) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What assurance can he give that NCEA levels 1 to 3 as delivered in every school meet standards set down by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Every school is required to have a system in place to ensure that assessment occurs at the national standard. New Zealand Qualifications Authority school relationship managers check the systems and require evidence that the system has been successfully implemented. Every school has been reviewed in the last 2 years. On top of this New Zealand Qualifications Authority - contracted moderators check marked student work in every subject from every school every year. 
Donna Awatere Huata 
: Can the Minister explain how it escaped the attention of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority in the first place that at one school unit standards had been simplified to the point where 35 unit standards could be completed in 3 hours two terms’ work could be collapsed into 2 hours and copying a letter from a blackboard could earn five credits all events that he assured us could not happen with moderation; and how can he be absolutely sure the New Zealand Qualifications Authority has not overlooked similar practices at other schools? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Under the National Certificate of Educational Achievement a lower proportion of work is internally assessed. Therefore the risk of that sort of problem occurring across the total assessment of a student over a 3-year period is lower than it was under the previous system. 
Deborah Coddington 
: That’s not true. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I repeat the proportion of work that is internally assessed across the 3 years is lower under the National Certificate of Educational Achievement than it was under the previous systems of Sixth Form Certificate which was totally internally assessed; School Certificate of which a high proportion was internally assessed; and bursary which was partially internally assessed. If members do not understand that I suggest they get the booklets out and read them. 
Donna Awatere Huata 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked the Minister how it had escaped the attention of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and he did not answer the question at all. He did not even come close. He did not even attempt it. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I am happy to supplement the answer. Currently there is an investigation by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority the Auditor-General and the Education Review Authority into a particular school. I think it would be most unwise of me to comment on the details at this point before the review has occurred. 
Dr Ashraf Choudhary 
: What reports has he seen on the value of achievement data provided by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I have seen reports that parents employers and tertiary institutions think the more specific information available under the National Certificate of Educational Achievement is more useful than former systems of student assessment. For example staff from the University of Auckland recently stated that the National Certificate of Educational Achievement enhanced that sector’s ability to make informed decisions about student admissions because it provided a richer profile of student achievement and that assessment was on a broader base. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: What assurance can the Minister give that for each National Certificate of Educational Achievement subject students sat identical exams when they were externally assessed at the end of last year? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Given there are levels of subjects and that people had options for achievement standards within it I just cannot give that assurance.