Upwards NCEA trend continues

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the release of provisional results showing NCEA Level 2 achievement rates are continuing to rise.

“I congratulate all students and teachers for their hard work and success in 2014. NCEA Level 2 is the passport to success in further study and employment so this increase is great news for all these young New Zealanders,” Ms Parata said.

The provisional results, released by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), show the achievement rate for NCEA Level 2 increased from 85.7 percent in 2013 to 86.8 percent in 2014. Since 2010, Year 12 achievement rates have risen by 7 percentage points.

The same data shows that the 2014 Level 1 rate is up by a hefty 7.6 percentage points since 2010 and the Level 3 rate is up 4.4 percentage points over the same period.

This year, for the first time, students require NCEA Level 3 to enter university. Entry-level literacy requirements have also been increased. These changes have seen the percentage of students achieving UE in 2014 reduce to 58.3 percent, from 70.6 percent in 2013.

Ms Parata said the changes, first announced by NZQA in August 2011, would ensure students began their university studies better prepared. Data showed that students who began their university studies with NCEA Level 3 performed significantly better than students whose highest qualification was NCEA level 2.

“It is not in the interests of any students to begin their university studies without the skills or experience necessary to succeed,” she said.

She said NZQA had consulted widely before deciding to implement the changes which had been requested by universities. Schools had been regularly reminded of the changes in newsletters.

“The changes do not mean school standards have fallen. Any time a standard is raised, numbers qualifying will drop,” she said.

Ms Parata said NZQA had the discretion to review the award of UE for individuals. Tertiary institutions also had the discretion to admit students who had not achieved the new standard.

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1501/Frequently_asked_questions__UE_changes.pdf

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1501/National_achievement_in_NCEA_and_UE.pdf

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