4. Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What reports has he received about the 2005 National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) exams?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
This morning the New Zealand Qualifications Authority released the 2005 NCEA national statistics, which demonstrate the considerable advantages of the NCEA system. For example, the results show that more students than ever are gaining qualifications: 72.5 percent of students achieved level 1 literacy standard, and 78.8 percent achieved the numeracy standard, which is up from last year. The variability of standards—the key concern we had in 2004—has now been significantly reduced, ensuring that we have a sound platform to move forward this year.
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
This information will be used to further improve our secondary education system. These statistics give the most comprehensive picture yet of students’ strengths and achievements. Secondary schools will use the NCEA data to evaluate their teaching programmes, set goals around their students’ achievements, and better meet their teachers’ professional development needs. Using this information will further raise standards and ensure our students have the best educational opportunities in front of them.
Hon Bill EnglishIf, as the Minister says, these NCEA results are the most comprehensive ever, can he explain to the House why he will not make them available to parents through the SchoolSmart website, which would enable parents to compare the results for their school with those of other similar schools in a way that would give them the kind of information that the school and the teachers will readily get?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
To any parents who are listening, I just pass on to them the fact that they can get both the NCEA and SchoolSmart information from their local school, along with information about such important things as the environment that the school has, the kind of teaching programme the school has, and what actually happens in the classroom to benefit students.
Will the Minister answer the question I asked, which was why are this year’s NCEA results not available to parents through the website so that, in the comfort of their own homes and in the company of their own children, they can look at their own children’s results, and the results for the school compared with other schools; why will he not let that happen, but instead insist they make an appointment with the principal and watch him or her tap it out on the keyboard?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As I have said a number of times, along with the New Zealand School Trustees Association, the Principals Association, the New Zealand Educational Institute, and the Post Primary Teachers Association—everybody that we possibly could talk to about these issues—
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The School Trustees Association members are parents. That may be news to the National Party, but they were parents last time I looked. All of those organisations agree that the NCEA and SchoolSmart information is available to parents, and that the best way to get it is from a discussion with their local school. That is where they should go.