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A school principal has called for a revision of school qualifications to stop their increasing fragmentation and division as more schools adopt international examinations.
In a letter published in today's Herald, Tom Gerrard, principal of Rosmini College, calls for NCEA to remain at levels one and two, but for a more traditional examinations system for Year 13 students.
He says restoring a system similar to Bursary at Year 13 would give employers and universities a clearer way to evaluate students.
His call comes as Auckland University drops its restrictions into Year 1 law, claiming the variation of qualifications held by students made it too difficult to compare.
Prior to NCEA, state schools were not allowed to offer alternative qualifications. Now the increasing number of students taking exams such as Cambridge International Examinations is prompting debate about whether the system was fracturing too far.
Mr Gerrard said NCEA allowed a wider range of students to succeed in a broader range of subjects, but it was often criticised for not catering to or recognising the efforts of more academic students.
The benefits of NCEA could be gained at levels one and two, but judging academic ability would be best served by a return to the more objective external assessment of traditional exams in the final year of school.
He said there was ongoing division among secondary schools about NCEA, and many schools were turning to international qualifications such as the Cambridge International Examinations so as not to have to give up on the traditional examinations system.
"I personally have never been convinced that going overseas to find alternatives to a New Zealand system is the complete or best answer. New Zealand is a compact country and we should be able to come up with a unified qualification system that embodies the best of local and international practices."
About 45 secondary schools offer Cambridge International Examinations, and the number of schools signing up to international qualifications is increasing.
The International Baccalaureate Diploma is also now offered by five secondary schools and two of Auckland's largest private schools - Diocesan and St Kentigern College - will soon offer it.
Greg Valentine, the International Baccalaureate Organisation's Asia-Pacific representative, said 10 schools had begun the process of introducing the programme and at least 10 others had made inquiries.
He said the boost was because of an increase in student numbers at the schools which already offered the baccalaureate, such as Kristin, Auckland International College and St Margaret's in Christchurch.
"There is also an increasing interest in preparing students for a very different and more global world, and a programme that encompasses the best of 'national' systems from around the world and is not based on any single one of them is best positioned to prepare internationally minded students."
