More than 1,800 students awarded Scholarships in 2005

Scholarships worth more than $3 million in total over the next three years have been awarded to 1,805 secondary school students.

More than 5,500 students who sat 2005 Scholarship exams received their results in the post on 23 February. Results were available on the secure learner login on the Qualifications Authority website www.nzqa.govt.nz from 3pm the same day.

Qualifications Authority Acting Chief Executive Karen Sewell said students could be assured that the process for marking the exams and awarding Scholarships was robust.

"We took advice from the Scholarship Technical Advisory Group, which was appointed to oversee the awarding of Scholarships. There has been a thorough analysis of results at subject and student level to ensure consistency and accuracy."

Cabinet recommended that Scholarships be awarded to about 3 percent of the year 13 students studying each subject at level 3, provided they met the standard. Technical Advisory Group Chair Professor Gary Hawke says that in a large majority of subjects, student performance enabled this target to be met.

"It is very pleasing that a significant number of our students are performing at such a high level in the Scholarship subjects. There was outstanding performance in every subject, with some students performing strongly across a wide range of Scholarship subjects, which demonstrates considerable depth and breadth of learning," said Professor Hawke.

Only six out of the 27 subjects fell outside the target set by the Scholarship Technical Advisory Group. In Biology, English, Media Studies, Physical Education, Technology and Visual Arts, insufficient numbers of students reached the Scholarship standard. NZQA has begun discussions with the Ministry of Education, principals and teachers about why this happened and what action is needed.