Waiting over for NCEA students

Glendowie College student Itamar Amith's hard work has paid off. Picture / Martin Sykes

Itamar Amith is his own harshest critic.

The Glendowie College student passed exams at all four NCEA levels - but is still not satisfied.

"It was not as good as I hoped for," he said.

Itamar was one of just 32 teenagers in New Zealand sitting exams at NCEA levels one to three and Scholarship.

As he prepared in November he admitted Scholarship physics would be his stiffest test. And that was the subject that proved his undoing.

But in passing other exams, including calculus at level three and Scholarship, level two biology and chemistry, and level one English, Itamar has earned enough credits for a place at Auckland University, where he will study for a BSc in pure mathematics.

"I'm just keeping my fingers crossed now and waiting for confirmation of a place," he said.

About 130,000 students began receiving their results yesterday and this morning. The entire set of results will be available on the Qualifications Authority website from tomorrow, completing implementation of one of the biggest changes seen in New Zealand's secondary school system.

The authority is warning people to be patient when accessing the website as it expected heavy traffic.

Karen Van Rooyen, NZQA chief executive, said the full implementation of NCEA was a significant milestone for the education system.

"New Zealand is now a much more diverse and complex society operating in a global context. Secondary education is adapting to the needs of different communities, different neighbourhoods, and individual students with different aptitudes and aspirations.

"Already a more diverse secondary system is emerging that is better preparing students for the challenges ahead."