World's brightest not smart enough for NCEA

One of the world's top science students failed an NCEA chemistry exam in the Qualifications Authority blunder that has robbed hundreds of students of top results.

Her case has emerged as the Government scrambles to explain what has gone wrong with a system designed to get the best out of the country's brightest school students.


Wellington student Robina Ang, 17, was recognised as one of the top science students in the world when selected to attend the London Science School last year. Only three others from Australasia were chosen.

The former Marsden School dux achieved exceptional marks in NCEA level three exams and the alternative international Cambridge exams, but was surprised to fail scholarship chemistry. She passed scholarship German and English with outstanding results.

"I think it's silly because next year's students will see the stats and would be stupid not to take arts and languages over science. It's a bit crazy."

Miss Ang has already been awarded a scholarship to Singapore University to study bio-engineering and was pleased the results would not affect that.

Marsden's runner-up dux, Kathryn Jessamine, 18, failed all three scholarship subjects - chemistry, physics and biology - despite being a high-achieving student.

She received 96 per cent in Cambridge mathematics and nearly perfect marks for her level three subjects.

"The annoying thing is I now wish I had sat history and Japanese because by the look of the results I probably would have passed."

She had hoped to qualify for the $1500 scholarship given to students with three scholarship passes.

"I'll be getting a student loan, and that really would have helped."

Marsden School principal Gillian Eadie said the situation was an utter disgrace.

"We have all these girls who have put in huge effort for three years and we believed they would be recognised appropriately, but they haven't. We're desperately disappointed."

The Government has admitted its scholarship level exams - designed to test the brightest students - were flawed, with huge variances between subjects.

A committee of MPs will investigate the setting of NCEA exams. Opposition MPs launched a broad attack in Parliament yesterday over the issue.

- NZPA