All as normal with NCEA says Maharey

Bill English

Education Minister Steve Maharey has attempted to quash speculation about problems with this year's NCEA exams in a bid to restore public confidence in the qualification.

In an unusual move, Mr Maharey yesterday called a press conference to dismiss National Party education spokesman Bill English's claims that there had been secret, unofficial re-marking of exam papers to avoid the controversy that erupted over last year's exams.

Mr Maharey said he wanted to reassure people that NCEA was being handled as intended.

"Everything that is happening at the moment was anticipated and is normal. We are not aware of any major problems with the exams at all, at this time."

Mr Maharey also said he had full confidence in Qualifications Authority acting chief executive Karen Sewell's integrity and the way she was handling the marking process.

But Mr English yesterday released two further emails from NCEA markers who claimed there was pressure to pass students who would otherwise have failed.

"We are forced to push through students who have not achieved into the achieved category who clearly have no knowledge of [the subject] at this level," one of the emails said.

Over the past week Mr English has released correspondence from exam markers who claim they have been told to unofficially re-mark to meet expected quotas.

"NZQA is under enormous pressure to avoid the embarrassment of last year's exams by producing non-controversial exam results in January. Judging by the extent of re-marking so far, it will be a miracle if they are not perfect," he said.

Mr Maharey said Mr English was a "lone critic" who preferred to take the advice of "anonymous people who send him emails" than accept NZQA's advice.

Post Primary Teachers Association president Debbie Te Whaiti said Mr English's attacks were unfair on the students. Once again he was turning NCEA into a political football.

"This is the first year that marking has been monitored on a daily basis and the first year of profiles of expected performance and it may be some markers have not fully understood the new process."

Fourteen of NCEA 335 standards have been re-marked.