NCEA - Removing the barriers

A new secondary school qualification won't single-handedly raise the levels of Māori achievement, but it will help level out the playing field. NZQA Māori Communications Officer Sandi Barr reports.

In 1999, 38% of Māori students (compared to 13% of Pakeha) left secondary school with no qualifications. It's an unacceptable disparity, and one that the Ministry of Education and NZQA have been mindful of during the development of NCEA.

"For the first time in this nation's history, we have a secondary school qualification that gives Māori the same opportunities as non-Māori," Rawiri Gibson, the Ministry of Education's Group Manager for the curriculum division, believes.

He says that the move to a standards-based assessment system validates Māori teaching and learning methods and Māori knowledge. Rawiri says most standards are focussed on learning outcomes rather than the context in which that knowledge was acquired. Accordingly, the groups of experts who developed achievement standards have de-contextualised the standard required wherever possible.

"Māori students love studying subjects within a Māori context; it gives those subjects more relevance," Rawiri adds. "For example, instead of asking for the chemical component of A, B and C, a chemistry standard may ask the students to demonstrate how different chemical components cause a particular reaction. A student could achieve this standard by explaining what the chemical components are in the repo (swamp) that make the muka (flax fibre) go black."

Ultimately, the application of those standards depends on the teachers and on the professional resources available. Rawiri Gibson says the Ministry of Education worked hard to ensure Māori experts were members of the groups who were developing achievement standards and assessment resources. Many of those resources include Māori -context examples. Rawiri believes the participation of Māori experts in every stage of NCEA's development has ensured the needs of Māori students and Māori medium schools have been taken into account.

Once all of the achievement standards and assessment resources have been biculturally developed and set, they will all be translated into te reo Māori . This means that schools that have the capability (like Whare Kura) can deliver assessments entirely in Māori , for subjects ranging from Physics to Drama. All standards assessed in te reo Māori have equal status to those assessed in English. In theory, a student could earn their entire NCEA Level 1 across all usual school subjects within a Māori context and through the medium of the Māori language. Again, it depends on the capability of the schools and teachers to deliver those courses and assessments in te reo Māori .

The Ministry of Education has also developed a new course called Te Reo Rangatira to test students who have been educated in Māori from birth. Rawiri says "Te Reo Rangatira will be as challenging for immersion learners in Māori as English is for immersion learners in English. It's important to cater for these students because the present examination system and Te Reo Māori achievement standards are for second language learners of Māori ."

All students, whether at Whare Kura or mainstream schools, can also study subjects from Field Māori to earn credits towards their NCEA. Unlike the current secondary school qualifications, NCEA will be part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). There are more than 700 national qualifications on the Framework within 17 subject fields, including field Māori . A student could pick up unit standards in whakairo, Māori tourism or hauora, which would all count towards their NCEA.

Rawiri says the new secondary qualification is empowering for Māori subjects. "It recognises mātauranga Māori has an equal value to other subjects and it recognises the importance of mātauranga Māori to Māori students."

So recognition of mātauranga Māori , Māori medium education, and the flexibility of a standards-based assessment model may improve Māori achievement levels. Rawiri's quick to acknowledge that it's up to teachers and schools on how they use NCEA.

"A new qualifications system won't drive educational success on it's own. What it does do is provide assessment opportunities for schools. Largely it is the good work of schools and their programmes of learning that will bring about good results in assessment. The Ministry of Education will need to monitor the standards and how NCEA's being picked up, ensuring we provide professional development and support to assist schools and teachers in achieving this outcome."

One feature of NCEA that's likely to motivate all students, including Māori , is that all significant aspects to a course of study will count. In the present system, if a student gets 49% in English, they've failed the course. Under NCEA, that same student may pick up credits in speech and drama even though they may still miss out on credits for other work.

Rawiri believes this will motivate students to continue their studies and strive to attain the qualification.

"A student may be really talented in some aspects of a subject, but overall their weaknesses outweigh their strengths. It must be really tough on such students when they don't achieve in School Certificate.

"Under NCEA students will gain credits for those parts of the course for which they demonstrate that they have met the standard required. If a student can achieve some credits, it will inspire them and give them the confidence to keep learning and achieving."