NZQA Talking Statistical Nonsense

“Either NZQA is inept in its understanding of statistics or it is being deliberately misleading in its statements on NCEA results,’ claims New Zealand First education spokesperson Brian Donnelly.

“NZQA is attempting to explain variability of results in terms of the numbers sitting an exam. That is palpable nonsense. Unless the general ability of the cohort changes, the number of students attempting any examination should not affect the proportion passing.

“NZQA’s claim that under the old system, increased numbers of students doing a given paper could lead through scaling to a student capriciously and suddenly failing a subject, is verging on deliberate manipulation of the truth.

“I asked Karen van Rooyen why it was that 5000 students passed an achievement standard with excellent in 2002, and only 70 passed it in 2003, and she was not able to give me an answer,” said Mr Donnelly.

“That level of variability surely is not expected as NZQA would have the public believe.

“Now is not the time for spin. It is time for brutal analysis of what is occurring. The public, like the government, is not being told the truth in a timely and transparent way.

“The result is further loss of confidence in NCEA where the real culprit is not the qualification but the agency charged with administering it,” said Mr Donnelly.

© Scoop Media