Katherine Rich MP
National Party Education Spokeswoman

21 March 2007

National supports call for NCEA review

Once again, Education Minister Steve Maharey is showing he has his head in the sand by ruling out an independent review of NCEA, says National Party Education spokeswoman Katherine Rich.

“National backs the comments of the in-coming head of the Secondary Principals Association in calling for an independent review of the NCEA.

“Yesterday in the House, the Minister attempted to create the false impression that NCEA concerns were just in the heads of ill-informed parents, when clearly concerns have been much wider.

“Right now only a few schools offer alternative exams, but if the Minister continues to look uninterested in genuine concerns, particularly those raised by sector representatives, he will encourage the development of a two-tier system for qualifications.

“The Minister is clearly at sea over NCEA.

“He started yesterday blaming parents for confusion over the system. Later he recanted and admitted there were problems and that confidence needed to be ‘restored’. And this morning he tells us the system is working well and there is absolutely no need for an independent review.

“Continuing to say everything is fine while admitting that work needs to be done to 'restore confidence' increasingly demonstrates that Steve Maharey is out of touch with what some schools and parents are thinking.”

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