Figure 1.--New Zealand children don't begin to think much about their qualification exams until after they begin their secondary school. |
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Under the present system, secondary school students may take the following national examinations: School Certificate; Sixth Form Certificate; Higher School Certificate; and University Entrance, Bursaries and Scholarships. National school examinations are based on curriculum statements developed by the Ministry. NZQA administers regulations, conducts examinations and issues
results and certificates.
New Zealand students earn the following qualifications.
This examination is taken by most students at the end of 3 years of secondary education (Year 11 or 5th Form, at about the age of 15). Except for part-time students, each candidate's course of study generally includes English, although the student is not required to sit the examination in that subject. A student may enter the examination in any number of subjects up to six (usually five or six subjects) and is credited with a grade in each subject. All students who complete a course receive a grade and a mark. There are five grades: A, B, C, D, and E. Almost all polytechnic courses need a minimum of School Certificate tudy. A great many need Sixth Form Certificates or Form 7 study. Most employers prefer Sixth Form Certificate grades to applicants with only School Certificates. Comparable overseas qualifications include: the British General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) at grades A-E; the British General Certificate in Education (GCE) at 0 level (now available outside Britain only); the Canadian or United States Grade 10; in different Australian states: Year 10 awards, School Certificate, Junior Certificate, Achievement Certificate.
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The Sixth Form Certificate is the only award in Sixth Form. This certificate is awarded on a single-subject basis to 6th Form (Year 12) students who have satisfactorily completed an approved course of one year in one or more subjects. Most students take five or six subjects usually including a course of English, although, as with School Certificate, they do not have to enter it as a Sixth Form Certificate subject. Grades are awarded on a 1 to 9 scale, grade 1 being the highest. Candidates are assessed internally but grade allocations are moderated externally. The Sixth Form Certificate is an accepted award for vocational purposes and is the basis for salary levels in many jobs. Equivalent overseas qualifications: Canadian or United States Grade 11.
Higher School Certificate is awarded to students who have satisfactorily completed five years of full time secondary schooling beginning at Form 3. At least three
subjects must be studied at a level above Sixth Form Certificate. It is a course completion qualification and grades or marks are not awarded.
These are alternative vocational qualifications for students thinking about careers in office work. Form 6 and 7 students can enter Word Processing Examinations at Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced levels. Shorthand examinations may be entered in various speed ranges. Form 6 and 7 students can also enter for Trade Certidicate examinations in Typing (Grades 1 and 2) and Shorthand (Grade 1). Word Processing qualifications were introduced in 1994.
University Entrance, Bursaries and Scholarships are the final school qualifications, usually taken in Year 13 (Form 7). Both percentage marks and grades (A, B, C,
D, and E) are awarded. An A Bursary is awarded if the total marks are 300 or more, a B Bursary is awarded if the total marks are between 250 - 299.
Scholarships are awarded for high performance in individual subjects and there are also top scholar awards. Cash payments are made to those gaining bursaries and
scholarships. Entrance to university is achieved by gaining an A or B Bursary or by gaining Higher School Certificate and three C grades or better in the Bursary
examination. Equivalent overseas qualifications: British GCSE and A levels; in different Australian states: Year 12 awards.
The National Qualifications Framework embraces industry and education qualifications from Year 11 (fifth form) of secondary schooling and entry level to vocations,
through to post-graduate level. All qualifications currently on the Framework are made up of unit standards. A unit standard describes what a learner should aim to achieve in a skill or knowledge area. Standards are set by written criteria along with a national moderation system. Learners who meet all requirements get credit for that unit standard; those who
don't may be reassessed when they're ready. A merit system will recognise achievements beyond the credit level. Each unit standard is at a level from 1 to 8. Level 1 is similar to School Certificate level; level 2 to Sixth Form Certificate; levels
3 and 4 are similar to University Bursaries. Each unit standard also has a credit rating. A successful full-time school student may
achieve 100 to 120 credits in a year.
All conventional school examination subjects can also be assessed for Framework credits. Schools can also use many unit standards from beyond the school curriculum. Any number or combination of unit standards may be assessed within a course, so accredited schools can develop courses to suit their students. Students accumulate Framework credits towards National Certificates and National Diplomas. As well as achieving a range of National Certificates, eg. National Certificate in Computing, school students can work towards a general qualification, the National Certificate of Educational Attainment. Students can start on Framework qualifications at school and carry on in the workplace or tertiary studies.
NZQA administers the Framework through the following services
National moderation systems ensure that consistent assessment decisions are made across all schools and other education providers.
Schools and other providers are accredited by NZQA, that is, they are entitled to assess for the Framework once they meet quality requirements.
Each learner receives an annual personalised list of the Framework credits and qualifications she/he achieved in the previous year.
New Zealand is preparing a new set of national qualifications, Achievement 2001 Qualifications for 16 -19 year olds. Starting in 2001, senior secondary students will be aiming at a new set of national qualifications. The National Certificate of
Educational Achievement (NCEA) will be the main qualification at all levels of the senior secondary school. Students will be able to achieve the NCEA from a wide range of studies, within and beyond the school curriculum. Unit standards will continue for the assessment of courses developed by industry and national standards bodies. In each school curriculum
subject there will be both external assessment (including School Certificate and University Bursaries examinations) and internal assessment, using achievement standards. Excellence of achievement will be recognised in the reporting of both internal and external assessment. The new qualifications and assessment procedures will be phased in, beginning in 2001 and
complete by 2003.
