Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:610;Page:7304] 
10.  
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (NZ National—Nelson) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: Does he support the decision of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to give NCEA credits for picking up litter? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education)) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Education 
: There are no standards in the national qualifications framework requiring the picking up of litter. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Is the Minister not just playing with words given that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority’s spokesperson Mr Bill Lennox said that picking up rubbish and subsequent written activities to show group activity did fit within the unit standard to obtain two credits; if not who is telling the truth—the Minister or Mr Lennox? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Both. There is an interpersonal communications unit that students can gain credits in. That unit requires people to do such things as identify team roles and responsibilities and carry out routine functions to gain their credits. The kind of task chosen to do that is irrelevant as long as students can demonstrate those talents. 
Helen Duncan 
: Can the Minister tell the House exactly what specific skills are tested through the level-one unit standard “Interpersonal Communications” which assesses participation in a team or group to complete routine tasks? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Yes. People credited with that unit standard are able to identify team roles and responsibilities gather ideas and information from other members clarify their own and others’ points of view and achieve consensus in reconciling differences. As long as the task used in the course of assessment is routine and can be planned and executed by a team the subject of the task is not highly relevant. I am sure the member can appreciate how useful the application of those fundamental team communications and consensus-building skills is whether the tasks are routine ones such as picking up litter or trying to manage the Opposition. 
Deborah Coddington 
: Does the Minister stand by the Minister of Education’s claim that the NCEA is “a triumph” when an ACNielson survey late last year showed that the more parents know about this new qualification the less confidence they have in it; if so can he tell us why he thinks it is a triumph? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I stand behind my colleague in saying it is a triumph. The reason I do that is that we are entering an extremely important era in relation to assessment in this country which is now standards based and which allows all students to demonstrate their ability in a wider range of subjects than traditionally. That has not in any way however changed the fact that the vast majority of students are doing languages science maths social science and technology subjects—just as they have always done. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: Can the Minister confirm that achievement standards are also available for attendance at school and does he think that a better way of targeting truancy would be to make a national student database an absolute priority rather than stating that only a pilot programme will be available by 2005 at the earliest? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: One thing that disturbs me is the way that people continue to trivialise standards-based assessment which in itself does not mean that people gain credits just for attending school or picking up litter. They gain them for doing things that demonstrate new skills. I repeat that only 43000 students took standards in other specialist areas last year and for example 590921 took standards in maths—as they always did. The difference is that we now have standards rather than simplistic ranking. 
Gordon Copeland 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would like to point out that the substance of that question was about truancy. I do not believe it was addressed in the response. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thought the member did address the question but if the Minister wants to comment any further on truancy he can do so. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: There is no achievement standard in the area of truancy but the member is right there do need to be— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: That’s surprising. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: No it is not surprising. That is something that people like Dr Smith would believe but I am finished with him and will go back to the question. Yes there is an appropriate way to go about looking at truancy which would be outside the qualifications framework. I know that the member has raised some very interesting points in that area. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Despite the Minister’s assurance that students are not getting credits for picking up litter I seek leave to table the article in the  
New Zealand Herald  
entitled “Picking up litter”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that article. Is there any objection? There is.