ACT MP Publishes Suppressed NCEA Report

Friday 13 Dec 2002 Donna Awatere Huata Press Releases -- Education -- NCEA Campaign

ACT Education Spokesman Donna Awatere Huata today released her Minority Report on the implementation of NCEA, which the Education and Science Select Committee blocked her from publishing or tabling in Parliament.

"This is the report that neither National nor Labour wanted to be released. This report is based on evidence from teachers, students, principals, academics and boards of trustees, and tells the whole story of NCEA's introduction.

"My thirty-three page document comprehensively outlines how NCEA implementation has abysmally failed. I go beyond the superficial problems and examine the design flaws that led to a nightmare year for teachers, students and parents.

"The Parliamentary Education and Science Committee refused to add this Minority Report to the Inquiry into the Implementation of Level One of NCEA. I was told my Report was `outside the Terms of Reference', which I believe was rubbish. Then I was told my Report was `too long', so I reduced it to two pages, then half a page. Still the Committee would not publish it. It was not until the actual evidence of NCEA's failure had been removed and replaced with just four bland paragraphs that the Committee allowed my Minority Report to appear.

"The two old parties - National and Labour - have a vested interest in covering their hides. National designed this terrible examination system and Labour introduced it.

"While I predicted that NCEA would be disastrous, I was shocked by the time I had finished my Minority Report. Seeing every flaw and failure laid out is extremely sobering.

"I believe every parent, student and teacher should have an opportunity to read the report that the politicians wanted to muzzle. So I am publishing it today on the ACT New Zealand website, at http://www.act.org.nz/nceareport

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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