Test re-marking just 'refining'

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority has denied accusations that it is "massaging" results after revelations that hundreds of NCEA exam papers are being re-marked after too many students failed.

On Monday, the authority announced that marking was halted for two level-three maths papers, a level-one maths paper and a level-one economics paper. This follows investigations into three English standards.

Acting chief executive Karen Sewell said better processes were in place this year to identify problems earlier and in each case the marking schedule was refined and marking resumed.

National Party education spokesman Bill English said it appeared the NZQA was using "on-the-hoof scaling to get the right result".

He says NZQA should provide more detail about how it is "massaging" results and declare the predetermined pass rate and new marking criteria.

However, Ms Sewell said the enhanced monitoring - which measured the results against the number expected to meet certain standards - was put in place to ensure the marking of the 335 standards was fair and consistent. So far there had been changes to seven, and she said she expected there would be "a few more before the end of the process".

"We realised that at the point between 'achieved' and 'not achieved' there was a group of students who, when we looked at their whole paper, they should have achieved that standard," she told National Radio yesterday.

However, this did not amount to "scaling", she insisted.

"It's not a fixed proportion - but a range for each standard ...

"We don't say 50 per cent have to get level 1 maths, for instance. With scaling, you would only move the bar - you wouldn't go back to the paper and reassess."

Under the new system, it was the "assessment tool" that changed, not the standard, which remained constant.

Students and their parents could have "confidence in the level of care and professionalism" that the markers gave to every paper, she said.

Education Minister Steve Maharey said the re-marking demonstrated the results-monitoring regime was working and discrepancies were being picked up early.

- NZPA