Low results force new NCEA marking

The marking schedule for the NCEA level one English exam has been changed, because students who should have achieved the standard had failed to do so.

Acting chief executive of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority Karen Sewell said "results are being monitored on a daily basis to alert us to any variability that may be a result of the marking schedules.

"To date, the enhanced monitoring has resulted in further investigation in three English standards. During tracking of the English Level 1 standard, comprehension of an unfamiliar text, the results showed the marking schedule was too specific in one area.

" ... Some students who should have achieved this standard were just missing out. Marking was immediately suspended while the marking schedule and the overall quality of student work was carefully examined. A minor correction was made to the marking schedule and marking was resumed."

The schedule has also been altered for two questions in level two English.

More students sat Level 1 English than any other subject, with 50,000 students doing the exams. Maths Level 1 was the second with more than 46,000 students. The smallest number was 43 for Level 3 Latin.

More than 144,000 students sat the 90 NCEA exams in level one, two and three this year.

Problems have plagued the NCEA since its inception. Parents and students have voiced discontent and many employers were unsure of what the qualification meant. There have been investigations into wildly varying results in scholarship exams.

- NZPA