Checking a shambles says teacher

The exam checking process is a disaster waiting to happen, says a teacher employed to help produce NCEA papers.

The teacher, who has asked not to be named, said it was a ridiculous system beset by problems and plagued by shambolic organisation.

He said he had been contracted by the Qualifications Authority for six years, but since the NCEA was introduced the system had become a farce.

Papers arrived without warning, corrections were ignored and checkers were not given enough time to do the job comprehensively.

"The Qualifications Authority is hopelessly disorganised and this qualification is becoming meaningless," said the Auckland teacher.

As a checker, he was sent papers and had to sit them twice, as teacher and as student, to assess their suitability. He also had to correct any mistakes, suggest corrections and write a report on possible improvements to the exam.

"The last set of papers I got was with a note asking for them back within five days," he said. "To do that job properly a minimum of two weeks is needed."