10. KATHERINE RICH (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
Does he have full confidence in the Ministry of Education, the Education Review Office, and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority’s involvement with Waverley High School since 2002; if not, why not?
Why did it take the New Zealand Qualifications Authority until late last year to issue a final warning to Waverley High School, when it knew as early as 2004 that the school was not acting on recommendations to improve assessment systems; and what does he say to the students who did the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in 2005 and 2006 and are now left with grades that nobody knows whether to believe?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
It might be worthwhile if I just rehearse the longer issue here, because it goes back to before 2004. The issues first emerged at the school in around 2002, and education agencies at that time judged that the school was quite capable of dealing with them if it had assistance. In June 2005 the Education Review Office identified more serious issues that required the ministry to give assistance, and support was given to both the principal and the board at that time. To make faster progress, a limited statutory manager was appointed in May 2006, during my watch in the portfolio. When the board resigned in June last year, the limited statutory manager was appointed as a commissioner, which is the role that is currently being carried out. In June 2006 the New Zealand Qualifications Authority also expressed concerns. I think it would be fair to say that once the limited statutory manager had become a commissioner, the education agencies were able to go into some of the issues in the school, and that led them to believe that the situation was more serious than it might have appeared in previous months. The history is one of earlier stages being able to be fixed by the school, with assistance being provided as was judged necessary, but, really, this issue was accelerated during 2005 and 2006.
Jill PettisHon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Education agencies have a range of mechanisms to identify schools that are in difficulty and to try to assist them. The Education Review Office and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority both conduct regular reviews to ensure that schools have good processes and policies in place. If they identify problems, they work with the school to try to clarify what the issues are and put together recommendations on which, of course, they act. The Ministry of Education monitors a range of indicators to identify any schools that are experiencing difficulties. It gathers information from agencies, parents, and the community. When those indicators show that a school is getting into difficulty, the ministry provides support as is necessary, which, of course, can lead right up to formal intervention of the kind I have just mentioned.
Following on from his answer to the question about helping schools that are having difficulties, what is he doing to assist Avondale College, which has discovered that nine history students from that school had their NCEA papers returned to them unmarked, unblemished, and with no grades—which explains why those students got a very distressing “results not available” message when they received their grades earlier this month?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority, as the member would expect, is working with the school now.
Can the Minister explain how students can sit an exam, have those exams despatched to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and have those exams sit in a wee pile and have a holiday, only to be returned unmarked, unblemished, and with no grades whatsoever?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I cannot do so right now, but the New Zealand Qualifications Authority will ensure that—
Hon Tau HenareHon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I appreciate the member’s support in this matter. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority will find out exactly what went on.
Chester BorrowsHow can the Minister have confidence in his departments in respect of Waverley High School, when 50 percent of students are truant on any day but are not reported, when even with a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:8 everyone fails, when all teachers teach only 3.5 days per week, when the New Zealand Qualifications Authority claims evidence of cheating by students and teachers, when two-thirds of Waverley children are bussed out of town rather than attend Waverley High School, and when literacy and numeracy is a huge problem but there are no remedial programmes; and whose head will roll for letting this community down so badly?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As the member knows from the answer I gave to the Opposition spokesperson on education, there is a great deal going on at the school at the present time. I appreciate his visit as a local member to the school along with the National Party associate spokesperson Allan Peachey. At the time, of course, he wanted the school to be closed immediately; now he tells me he would like it kept open so we can discuss the problems. I will work my way through the problems and keep him informed.