Hon Bill English
National Education Spokesman

16 June 2004

ERO doubt about NCEA bad for students

Parents and students need urgent reassurance that schools are running NCEA correctly, says National's Education spokesman, Bill English.

Karen Sewell, head of the Education Review Office (ERO) admitted today during select committee hearings that controversy surrounding Cambridge High School has raised some serious concerns about how schools carry out the controversial NCEA assessments.

"Schools and parents rely on schools and public agencies to ensure that NCEA is perceived as a quality qualification," says Mr English.

"Students cannot afford for their to be any doubt about the merits of their qualifications.

"I presume the ERO's concerns refer mainly to those schools with notably high pass-rates. The ERO needs to act quickly on any and all concerns for the benefit of all students.

"If there are more schools that need investigating, the ERO should get on with it," says Mr English.

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