Parents confused over NCEA grading letters

By AINSLEY THOMSON

Results from the second year of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) have left many people confused about exactly what the students achieved or failed.

The pages of results are broken down into subjects, then into unit or achievement standards that are each worth a number of credits.

Written next to each standard is a letter, either N (not achieved), A (achieved), M (achieved with merit) and E (achieved with excellence).

Students Ilona McLaughlin and Ajay Heu, from Sacred Heart College in Hamilton, said the NCEA system had been drummed into them for the past three years and they had a good understanding of it.

But not so for their parents.

"My parents just don't get it," said Ilona. Ajay agreed that the grading letters confused her parents.

"My dad was reading my report and he sees all these Ms and he thinks it's horrible. And he was so proud of my As, and I'm like, not really."

The two 17-year-olds, who sat NCEA level two, said they were concerned that employers would also be confused, especially as the certificate they will receive in April states only that they passed, not how many credits they received or the subjects they sat.

Secondary Principals' Association president Paul Ferris said he did not think parents were that confused.

They had to get used to the new system and not just expect to open a piece of paper that had a total mark and a "pass" or "fail".

"It takes time to sit down and see what your child has succeeded in and what they haven't succeeded in. It's not something you can glance at and get a quick buzz from."

Qualifications Authority spokesman Bill Lennox said once parents saw the results it generally made more sense.

NCEA flunks website test

Students keen to find out their NCEA results overloaded an education website yesterday.

At one stage the Qualifications Authority website was getting more than 180 hits a second - its busiest day on record.

By 5pm, more than 23,000 students had their results, but thousands of others missed out.

Paul Grace, from Orewa, spent a fruitless afternoon trying to help his 16-year-old daughter, Rochelle, to get her results.

"The website has just been a shambles.

"They are putting these teenagers though emotional hoops saying the results will be ready at 12pm, and then they can't access them."

Authority spokesman Bill Lennox said about 5 per cent of people could not access the website. Results have been mailed and should arrive today or tomorrow.

What is NCEA?

* The National Certificate of Educational Achievement has replaced School Certificate, Sixth Form Certificate and Bursary exams.

* Overall success is measured by a combination of internal assessment and external exams.

* All subject areas are divided into standards that earn students credits towards their qualification.

* Schools design programmes to suit their students and the particular skill or knowledge being assessed.