National’s Dual Exam – One Size Does Not Fit All

Saturday 5 May 2001

“Demands by grassroots teachers for a trial of the NCEA will increase in the light of the new academic exam system proposed by the National Party today,” said Concerned Teachers spokesperson Peter Calvert.

“It is clear that National strategists have listened to teacher concerns firstly about New Zealand’s students being guinea pigs for an untrialled radical experiment where academic courses are being assessed in a manner only suited to skill based (vocational) courses,” said Mr Calvert.

“The Black report commissioned by the Ministry of Education and the earlier Bell Report commissioned by Concerned Teachers both suggested that a dual qualifications style for knowledge (academic) and skill based (vocational) subjects worked the best of any system worldwide. National have clearly picked up on the recommendations in the Black and Bell Reports quoting the French and German dual qualifications systems,” said Mr Calvert.

“The effect of NCEA style vocational testing is to dumb down academic subjects,“ said Mr Calvert. “Mr Brownlee’s model accepts that one size does not fit all."

“It is now time for Mr Mallard to call off next year’s full introduction of the NCEA,” said Mr Calvert. “The Black and Bell Reports and now National’s policy show that the NCEA should be only a trial in 2002.”

“The Concerned Teachers’ Central Committee will be looking at the details of the new proposal before deciding if this step in the right direction goes far enough to meet our group’s concerns,” said Mr Calvert.

Ends

For More information contact: Peter Calvert 021 2111 825 E-mail ConcernedTeachers@xtra.co.nz Website www.concernedteachers.com

© Scoop Media