PPTA Te Wehengarua has announced the establishment of its own panel of highly experienced and diverse educationalists to monitor and review major changes to New Zealand’s national secondary school qualifications.
The Government last year announced planned changes to NCEA, including the abolishment of the Level 1 certificate and the replacement of Levels 2 and 3 with the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) respectively.
Read the latest print edition of School News online HERE.
It is expected to announce the final changes soon, after the consultation process ended in September 2025.
“These are once-in-a-lifetime changes that have significant implications for the futures of our young people and for Aotearoa New Zealand, so it’s imperative that they are educationally valid, robust and meet the needs of all learners,” said Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president.
Related School News article: PPTA sounds alarm over shortage of secondary school teachers
The panel includes experienced educators, academics, sector leaders, people with a sound understanding of Māori education and the equity index. It represents diverse opinions on senior secondary school assessment.
Kate Gainsford, former chair of the Secondary Principals’ Council and former principal of Aotea College, and Melissa Denzler, Kaitohu Mātauranga/Education Advisor for the NZ Council of Educational Research, will co-chair the panel.
Kate Gainsford said she looks forward to working with panel members to help ensure that these far-reaching changes to secondary school assessment and qualifications are being developed and implemented thoughtfully and comprehensively.
“Proposals that are thin on detail and tight in timeframe, work against good policy and risk short-changing the important sense of public ownership that characterises a strong education system.”
The panel’s findings will be contained in a report, Tirotiro Anō (“with fresh eyes, wide open, we are taking a fresh look”).
“This initiative demonstrates the vital role that secondary teachers and principals play, via PPTA Te Wehengarua, to be at the forefront and leading the best aspects of educational change and improvement.
“The panel and the report enable the secondary teaching profession to reflect thoughtfully, and in a timely way, on the significant changes to secondary school assessment and qualifications – our bread and butter,” Ms Gainsford said.
It is planned that the panel’s report will be presented to PPTA Te Wehengarua annual conference in October.
