National accuses NZQA of 'blatant politicking'

National has accused the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) of "blatant politicking" after a mass mail-out of brochures touting the benefits of new national examinations.

The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) has been in the spotlight since January when extreme variation in scholarship results emerged.

National Party education spokesman Bill English said today the mail out was an abuse of taxpayer money.

"In the heat of the election campaign, the Ministry of Education and NZQA have taken sides with this so-called public education campaign funded by the taxpayer.

"A letter and pamphlet to every parent at this stage can only be designed to help the Labour Party."

Mr English said National would ask the State Services Commissioner to investigate the mail out to parents and caregivers of Year 11, 12 and 13 secondary school students.

"This letter would appear to breach the guidelines released by the State Services Commissioner, in particular the requirement that communications campaigns which could be seen as party political should not happen."

The NCEA was at the core of public concern about declining education standards, he said.

"The letter should tell the truth. None of the significant problems in NCEA have been fixed for 2005."

The letter dated September 2 said NZQA had made some changes to scholarship "so the problems experienced last year will not be repeated".

The brochure claims the NCEA encourages excellence and gives schools greater flexibility and diversity.

An independent report by the State Services Commission released in August found NZQA's unstable leadership and poor communication helped to create a lack of consistency in NCEA marks.

Previous NZQA head Karen Van Rooyen and NZQA chairman Graeme Fraser quit in May following the release of an initial State Services Commission report.

- NZPA