Teachers back NZQA boss

Qualifications Authority chief executive Karen Van Rooyen was backed by unexpected allies last night.

Two key sector groups, which have made no secret of their frustration with the NZQA in the past, called for the focus to be on correcting problems surrounding the secondary school exams.

The president of the Secondary Principals Association, Paul Ferris, said there was no reason Ms Van Rooyen should lose her job. "I don't see why a chief executive needs to fall because something has gone wrong with a Government initiative."

The president of the Post-Primary Teachers Association, Debbie Te Whaiti, said there was a need to concentrate on fixing the mess rather than on "individual destinies".

"We could be diverted with personnel issues when what we need is tangible signs that the issues we raised are being dealt with."

Ms Van Rooyen, who is paid $200,000 a year, is in the firing line after a report into last year's scholarship exams blamed the authority for wild variations in results.
The report has already claimed the scalp of board chairman Professor Graeme Fraser last week.

Board member Catherine Gibson said the board would be considering "further issues of accountability" once a new chairman was appointed.

Associate Education Minister David Benson-Pope said it was "a top priority" to fill the role of chair.