English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:614;Page:10504] 
11.  
Hon BILL ENGLISH (National—Clutha-Southland) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What if any instructions has the New Zealand Qualifications Authority given schools regarding the reporting of students’ failure to achieve internally assessed National Certificate of Educational Achievement credits? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister of Education) 
: 
 The New Zealand Qualifications Authority has given numerous pieces of advice on this issue. The consistent point is that when and if a student is ready to attempt an event-based internal assessment is a matter for the professional judgment of the teacher. It is a good system and if the member had used it he would have got someone who could count to do his numbers. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That last comment was unnecessary to the sense of the question asked. I ask the Minister to withdraw that last sentence. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I withdraw. 
Hon Bill English 
: Does that ramble mean there is actually no Government policy on why schools will have to report when students fail their external National Certificate of Educational Achievement tests but will not have to report when students fail their internal National Certificate of Educational Achievement tests and schools are now confused because some have been told they should report those failures and others have been told not to? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: The situation is quite clear. A lot of schools with very talented pupils do not have them sit. Some schools do not assess students until they are ready for it—most schools do not do that. There is absolutely no point in reporting students who do not sit assessments. 
Helen Duncan 
: What facilities exist for students to check their internally assessed National Certificate of Educational Achievement results? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: This year access to internally assessed National Certificate of Educational Achievement results has been made available online for the first time. This lets students see their results before the end of the year allowing them and the schools to check them and further guaranteeing a smooth process for the January results. 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Can the Minister explain exactly how not reporting on the standards attempted by students who have failed to demonstrate any achievement standards will add to the richness of information available to employers regarding potential future employees? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If that member wants to consult please do so but Mr Donnelly is asking a question. 
John Carter 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. During the interchange that took place the Minister of Education made some very strange noises. They certainly sounded like animal noises. Maybe he should be asked to explain or withdraw and apologise. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No he will not be asked to explain. He will be asked to withdraw and apologise. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I withdraw and apologise. The standard approach for the national qualifications framework including during the time when that member was a Minister is that successes are recorded. 
Deborah Coddington 
: What instruction if any has the New Zealand Qualifications Authority given to schools like Cambridge High School that give National Certificate of Educational Achievement credits to students for picking up rubbish and schools that offer scholarship passes in dance drama and turntableism? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Scholarship does not start until next year. Cambridge High School did not give students credits for picking up rubbish. 
Hon Bill English 
: Does the Minister agree that the statements he made to the House are directly contradicted by the following statement from Karen Colbert a senior official in the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to Auckland deputy principals: “Data we have at the moment is flawed because some schools do send in non-achieved and some don’t. NZQA says don’t send them in.” and is this just the New Zealand Qualifications Authority helping some schools hide failure? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: First the person’s name is Kate Colbert. [ 
Interruption 
] A little bit of accuracy from the member would not hurt. What is clear is that the  
NCEA Update 
 issue of 19 June this year makes it clear that students are entitled to enter for and withdraw from individual standards. That is absolutely clear. It has always been clear. It was clear for internally assessed School Certificate as well. 
Hon Bill English 
: Is the Minister now trying to say that no student fails internal assessment of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement—that he or she just withdraws before that conclusion is reached? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: It is very clear that a lot of people do not make the standard. The member knows that. 
Deborah Coddington 
: I seek leave to table a  
New Zealand Herald  
report of 5 July that quotes the principal of Cambridge High School saying that students got two credits for picking up rubbish. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that. Is there any objection? There is. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have two points. My first point is that I notice today you have at least gestured towards members of the Opposition and said to them that that was the last time they were to behave in a particular way. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I said that to all members of the House. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: OK but there certainly was an indication earlier to a member that that was to be the last comment by way of interjection on this day. We notice that on three occasions now you have required the Minister of Education to withdraw and apologise for the sorts of comments he made during and around his answers. We noticed also that in the course of his answers he prefers to give insults rather than answers. We are just wondering when the Minister of Education might be subjected to the sort of discipline that appears to be applied to members of the Opposition at the present time. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: All I can say is that the Minister of Education has been questioned effectively by the Hon Bill English. I would have thought it was in the interests of the House that he be asked to answer. If I wanted to send him out I could easily have done so but then there would not have been anyone to ask the question of. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Question time is a serious time when members ask questions and expect some accountability. The Minister was asked a very direct question by Deborah Coddington regarding Cambridge High School giving credits for collecting rubbish. He denied it. She has now produced the  
New Zealand Herald 
 article of 5 July this year where the principal of that school is quoted as saying that is exactly what the school did. One could put down a breach of privilege but that seems to be an undesirable course of action especially as Christmas is getting close. It seems to me that the Minister really ought to set out the situation. If he is saying that the  
New Zealand Herald 
 misquoted perhaps that is an interesting answer but if he is really assuring the House that no such credits were given and it turns out that they have been given we have all been misled have we not? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is of course right and the Minister would be expected to come down to the House and make an appropriate statement if that were the case. That has been done on occasions this year—in fact on occasions in all the 37 years I have been here. 
Hon Bill English 
: I seek leave to table the minutes of a meeting between the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the Auckland deputy principals association. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.