Pillay Lynne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Pillay Lynne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:621;Page:16798] 
9.  
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: Why is the Government introducing the New Zealand Scholarship examinations which started today? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Our Government is committed to raising education standards. That is why the New Zealand Scholarship a new examination has been introduced as a stand-alone qualification designed to extend very high achieving students. The examinations will be very challenging and to succeed students will need to apply high-level thinking skills. Scholarship is set at level 4 on the qualifications framework—the equivalent of a year 1 university subject— meaning that it will extend and challenge our top students. 
Lynne Pillay 
: What incentives and rewards are available to students who excel in New Zealand Scholarship? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Our overall top scholar and second top scholar will receive $45000 and $30000 respectively over 3 years. All students who achieve outstanding performance in three New Zealand Scholarship subjects will get $15000 over 3 years. There are also generous rewards for the top scholar in each subject and in each school. These awards are further proof that this Government is committed to excellence in education. 
Hon Bill English 
: Can the Minister explain how the Scholarship exam will rank candidates in order to select the top one or two when the exams are set according to the standards-based assessment philosophy of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement which is explicitly designed not to rank candidates? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: In the same way as doctoral students are ranked when they sit a standards-based examination. Dr Cullen and Dr Brash will explain to the member how it works. 
Hon Bill English 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked the Minister who happens to be the Minister of Education to explain it. He did not address the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The first part of the Minister’s answer did address the question. He added a comment after that but the first part of the answer most directly did address that question. 
Hon Bill English 
: If the Minister is so clear about how an exam designed not to rank students will achieve the ranking of students why are principals teachers and students across New Zealand deeply confused and why do they regard the Scholarship process this year as a shambles? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I am quite surprised that the member says that because well-informed principals have been discussing it with me. They understand a system whereby the best papers— 
Simon Power 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am sorry to interrupt the Minister but the Hon Harry Duynhoven is talking on his cellphone in the Chamber. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Mr Duynhoven is not to use his cellphone in the Chamber. [ 
Interruption 
] A member may not use a cellphone in the Chamber. That is a rule that I have set many times. The Minister will carry on with the answer. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I am surprised that the member is confused or claims to be confused because the top principals in the country certainly are not. They understand that it is relatively easy to determine the outstanding performance Scholarships using a group of the assessors. There will not be many of them and they will sit down and work it out. As happens with doctoral students or others who sit standards-based exams candidates are able to be ranked. We have had top doctoral students before and I am very surprised that a member who has been involved in education for as long as that member has cannot understand that.