More funds for scholarship exam workshops

Schools will get extra money so teachers can attend workshops on this year's New Zealand Scholarship exams, Education Minister Trevor Mallard says.

An extra $920,000 would go toward allowing schools to release teachers to attend the workshops, designed to teach them what would be needed to prepare students for scholarship.

The money comes on top of a $3.7 million professional learning strategy package to improve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and Scholarship exams, announced in June.

"The workshops will give teachers an opportunity to view examples of student work from Scholarship 2004 and develop a common understanding around what will be needed to prepare students for the level of achievement needed for Scholarship," Mr Mallard said.

The step is part of several moves intended to improve the NCEA and Scholarship.

The Government ordered several reviews this year after it was revealed fewer NCEA scholarships had been awarded than expected and results varied widely between subjects.

- NZPA