A recent pulse check on how the new NCEA Level 1 is being rolled out has revealed shocking problems, says Chris Abercrombie, president of PPTA Te Wehengarua.
The survey, completed last month by teachers from over 200 schools, highlights major issues with the new system.
Eighty-three percent of teachers said that resources were arriving too late, and 80 percent worried about how useful the materials were. 81 percent were unhappy with the examples provided for assessments, and 75 percent felt let down by the support from the Ministry of Education and NZQA.
Many teachers expressed frustration over unclear guidelines for assessments, which caused confusion and extra work. Teachers, especially those in smaller schools with fewer resources, said they were feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
Nearly 80 percent of teachers were happy with the support they received from their own school departments, and 70 percent felt supported by their subject associations.
One new aspect of NCEA is the literacy and numeracy requirements, which students must pass to obtain the qualification. Almost 80 percent of teachers were concerned about what would happen to students who couldn’t meet these new standards.
Survey Results Confirm Concerns
Chris Abercrombie said the survey results confirm concerns that had been consistently voiced by subject associations about the new Level 1 rollout.
“Students deserve a great introduction to NCEA, and secondary teachers had very high hopes for the changes. We fully support NCEA being more accessible, providing equal status for mātauranga Māori, having fewer and larger standards, and a simpler structure.
“However, the rollout has been a shambles. The lack of adequate support and resources at the national level is taking a huge toll.
“It’s making the NCEA system confusing for students and making the workloads of many teachers completely unsustainable.
“Subject associations are trying desperately to fill the gaps; however, they are volunteers, and the resources provided by the Ministry have been inadequate.
“If the Ministry and NZQA only do one thing adequately for secondary schools, surely it should be to ensure that a comprehensive change programme for our national qualification is fully developed, resourced and implemented.”
The PPTA Te Wehengarua is calling for a quick fix to improve the NCEA Level 1 rollout and a full review to ensure that Levels 2 and 3 are introduced more smoothly in the future.
The new NCEA Level 1 rollout brings several changes designed to simplify NCEA and ensure students are better prepared. Key updates include fewer standards, requiring students to complete fewer assessments with a stronger focus on core learning areas.
Literacy and numeracy co-requisites mean students must now pass these separately to receive their NCEA qualification. Equal importance is given to mātauranga Māori, making the curriculum more inclusive.
While these changes aim to improve education, many teachers report concerns about delayed resources, unclear guidance, and the pressure it places on already stretched school staff.