KEY POINTS:
Four Auckland schools have signed up to offer the Cambridge International Examinations in the past month despite the Government's recent changes to boost confidence in the national qualifications system.
Takapuna Grammar, Kelston Boys High School, Pukekohe Christian College and Mangere's Global Indian International School have registered in order to offer the exams from next year, said Simon Higgins, the University of Cambridge International Examinations regional manager.
Sacred Heart Girls College in Hamilton also registered this year.
The number of schools registered to offer the alternative to the National Certificate of Educational Achievement is now 44 - up from last year's 39.
A Ministry of Education spokesman said schools could choose to offer the Cambridge exams if they wanted but all state schools were required to offer the NCEA.
The Government unveiled a raft of changes to the NCEA in May, including more policing of the marking of internally assessed standards and the introduction of "merit" and "excellence" at subject and certificate level.
The endorsements aimed to address concerns the national qualification did not motivate top students to achieve.
The changes caused some schools considering Cambridge to re-evaluate.
Mr Higgins said the elections of boards of trustees early this year had also altered some schools' plans. It is understood Kelston Boys High School will offer only a Cambridge mathematics course for Year 11 next year.
Meanwhile, Takapuna Grammar is thought to be planning to offer the "critical thinking" and "business studies" Cambridge courses at its Centre for Business and Enterprise that will be set up next year.
