News

Changes to NCEA and University Entrance post-COVID

<p><main class&equals;"main-container container js-quickedit-main-content" role&equals;"main"><&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"row">&NewLine;<section class&equals;"col-xs-12">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"region region-content">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"node node--type-article node--view-mode-full ds-three-col">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"ds-three-col&lowbar;&lowbar;column ds-three-col&lowbar;&lowbar;main">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"prose field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item">&NewLine;<h3>Further temporary changes to NCEA and University Entrance &lpar;UE&rpar; will support senior secondary school students whose teaching and learning have been disrupted by COVID-19&period;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;The wellbeing of students and teachers is a priority&period; As we are all aware&comma; COVID-19 has created massive disruption to the school system&comma; and the Government is moving to ensure students will not be penalised&comma; while preserving the integrity of our national qualification&comma;” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>When I recently announced changes to end of year examination and portfolio due dates last month&comma; I flagged additional measures were being considered&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I can confirm that students will be able to earn additional credits through their learning and assessment programme&comma; UE requirements have been modified with agreement from universities&comma; and certificate and course endorsements have been modified&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;For each 5 credits a student attains towards their NCEA&comma; they will be entitled to an additional 1 Learning Recognition credit&comma; up to a maximum of 10 additional credits for students undertaking NCEA Level 1&comma; or up to a maximum of 8 additional credits for students at NCEA Levels 2 or 3&comma;” Chris Hipkins said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>This approach also maintains the credibility and reputation of NCEA by basing additional credits on assessed learning&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Students can be confident that an NCEA attained this year will continue to open doors to tertiary study&comma; vocational education or employment&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;As further recognition of COVID-19’s impact&comma; this year University Entrance will be awarded to students who achieve 12 credits in each of three University Entrance Approved Subjects&period; They will still need to attain NCEA Level 3 and meet the literacy and numeracy requirements to be awarded UE&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;This reduction of two credits per approved subject recognises that students may not have had the same opportunity to achieve as in other years&comma; while continuing to ensure students are ready to undertake university study&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Students will be awarded a certificate endorsement if they achieve 46 credits at Merit or Excellence level&comma; rather than the usual 50&period; Similarly&comma; students achieving 12 credits at Merit or Excellence level in a course – rather than 14 – will be awarded a course endorsement&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;In addition to the changes announced&comma; I have asked NZQA and the Ministry of Education to consider how schools might identify and collect evidence that could be used to credential the learning and skills gained by young people outside of their formal school programme of learning&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;These changes have been endorsed by my NCEA Professional Advisory Group&comma; and I’d like to thank them for their robust advice&period; I also recognise the work Universities New Zealand and individual universities have done alongside officials to develop the changes to UE&comma;” Chris Hipkins said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<article class&equals;"ds-three-col&lowbar;&lowbar;column ds-three-col&lowbar;&lowbar;right"><&sol;article>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;section>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p><&sol;main><&sol;p>&NewLine;<footer class&equals;"footer" role&equals;"contentinfo">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"container">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"region region-footer">&NewLine;<section id&equals;"block-backtotop-2" class&equals;"block block-block-content block-block-content888859bb-ca56-4370-8f64-b463c6a619c8 clearfix">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"> <&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;section>&NewLine;<nav id&equals;"block-footer" class&equals;"navigation navigation--tertiary" role&equals;"navigation" aria-labelledby&equals;"block-footer-menu"><&sol;nav>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;footer>&NewLine;

Explore our latest issue...
School News

School News is not affiliated with any government agency, body or political party. We are an independently owned, family-operated magazine.

Recent Posts

Curriculum rewrites lack clear frameworks and definitions

Curriculum rewrites at the Ministry of Education are struggling with a lack of clarity, according…

3 days ago

Chisnallwood Intermediate: A place of opportunity

Opportunities are critical for preteens to build confidence and capability, says Chisnallwood Intermediate, acclaimed for…

3 days ago

Are AI detection tools biased against English language learners?

AI detection tools are trained on native English users, which could create bias.

3 days ago

Wrong room, wrong focus

Opinion: Why the Minister’s announcement on open-plan classrooms distracts from what really matters in education.

3 days ago

From Stress to success: Supporting teacher and student wellbeing

Positive wellbeing means resilient communities and effective learning.

3 days ago

New campaign aims to lift the mana of teachers

A new campaign from the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand aims to lift the…

1 week ago