NZQA chief executive quits

Karen Van Rooyen

Chief executive of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority Karen Van Rooyen has resigned - the second high-profile casualty at the NZQA in just 10 days.

Ms Van Rooyen has been under fire since the scholarship debacle in January and has faced increasing pressure following a damning report into the exam system.

She said today that she had been under "strain" and accepted she was accountable.

NZQA board chairman Graeme Fraser resigned 10 days ago after two critical reports into the organisation's handling of the 2004 school scholarship exams, which largely blamed the authority for the wild variations in last year's results.

Ms Van Rooyen said her decision had not been taken lightly and she had stayed on as chief executive of the NZQA despite the criticism to complete tasks associated with the job.

"Those tasks have been completed and I feel it is time to step aside," she said.

Ms Van Rooyen said she was conscious she had been "closely identified with the debate" that had arisen, but refused to talk about it.

"In my view, the education of school pupils in New Zealand will not be advanced by it continuing," she said.

"As you can imagine, recent events have placed a strain on me. Relinquishing the role will allow me to restore a sense of equilibrium to my life."

Ms Van Rooyen said she hoped her resignation would "act as a catalyst" for the issues to be resolved so NZQA could get on with its job.