Catholic principals join protest against NCEA replacement

Myra Coley of Chanel College in Masterton, Catherine Gunn of Sacred Heart Girls’ College in Hamilton and Mike Savali of St Patrick’s College in Wellington were among 89 principals who signed the letter to Erica Stanford and to the Secretary for Education.

The letter said that NCEA wasn’t perfect, but had strengths that allowed students to achieve success across academic and vocational pathways.

“With curriculum alignment, a standards review and co-design with the education, parent and industry sectors, NCEA can be a credible, clear, coherent and consistent qualification system,” the letter said.

“Replacing NCEA is politically driven rather than educationally necessary.”

The proposed changes posed “huge risks to equity and inclusion”, the principals argued, adding that the proposed system was likely to disadvantage students who were Māori, Pasifika, neuro-diverse, migrants and second-language learners, transient students and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

“The proposed system is designed for university-bound students at the expense of students with other strengths and pathways,” they wrote, adding that removing Level 1 entirely risked leaving some students without any meaningful formal qualification.

Ms Stanford said the proposed changes had been designed with the sector, and led by her advisory group of principals, acknowledging that there was always going to be a range of views.

She said that she had no intention of going back to NCEA, or stopping this process, but wanted to reassure principals and schools that there would be a phased, carefully planned and supported implementation of the new qualification framework.

Ms Stanford rejected the idea that the proposals didn’t take into account the best aspects of the NCEA.

“This whole idea of ‘we’re throwing the baby out with the bath water’ is complete garbage,” Ms Stanford said.

She said the proposed qualification would keep, or enhance, the best aspects of NCEA: vocational pathways, the ability for students to sit both internal and external assessments or exams, and grading of students based on what they knew rather than comparing them to other students on a bell curve.

FULL STORY

Nearly 90 principals plead for Govt to stop ‘politically driven’ NCEA replacement (By Laura Walters/Newsroom)