Live updates: Government to abolish NCEA in radical shake-up of main secondary school qualification
Universities NZ wants more detail on NCEA proposal
Vera Alves
Universities New Zealand broadly supports the direction of the changes signalled to the NCEA qualification announced this morning but wants to see more detail.
Chief executive Chris Whelan says: “We have previously raised concerns that the flexibility of NCEA has led to a focus on simply gaining credits rather than developing deep knowledge and critical thinking needed for students to succeed at a university level. This proposal appears to address those concerns.
“However, while the proposal will introduce subjects to replace the mix of credits and achievement standards that have made NCEA so hard to understand, we don’t yet know what those subjects will be, or how they will relate to letting students know they are ready for entry into university studies.”
The current requirements for University Entrance, which is administered by the NZQA, are:
• NCEA Level 3.
• A minimum of 14 credits at Level 3 in each of three approved subjects.
• A literacy requirement of 10 credits at Level 2 or above (5 in reading and 5 in writing).
• A numeracy requirement of 10 credits at Level 1 or above.
“We have previously highlighted the importance of University Entrance’s three-subject requirement at Level 3 as an indicator of a student’s breadth and depth of learning in academic subjects, which matters in the transition to university. The proposed system increases that minimum to four subjects to pass, but it is not yet clear what subjects these will be in, which will be one of the things we consider.
“University Entrance is a robust indicator of a student’s readiness for degree-level standards, and we would expect that to continue under a new system.
“We are pleased that the new system is being phased in over a longer time period, which will allow those decisions to be made with careful thought.
“We look forward to working with the Ministry of Education and Government to ensure the transition to a new system is smooth and sets up university students of 2031 and beyond for success in their chosen academic field.”
'A lot of hope': Burnside High School principal welcomes Govt's NCEA announcement
Vera Alves
The principal of one of the country's biggest high schools says he is looking at the Government's proposal with "hope" and "potential for real improvement".
Scott Haines, principal of Burnside High School in Christchurch, told the Herald the NCEA system is not broken "but there is room for improvement".
"I think it's about acknowledging that NCEA is not failing young people full stop, but there is room for improvement."
"One of the key parts is stepping away from NCEA Level 1 from 2028. That's something that actually Burnside High School is consulting with our community about as we speak. Just last week I was speaking to parents to say, 'hey, 40% of New Zealand schools are no longer offering NCEA Level 1. The qualification has lost its currency over time'. Is it time that Burnside High School steps away from that? And now we see that same conversation playing out at a national level," Haines said.
"Likewise for the new level 2 and 3 qualifications that are being proposed. I think they are a step in the right direction, frankly. The movement away from constant assessment and very fragmented learning and assessment and achievement to a more subjects-based framework."
Haines agrees the proposed changes would help mitigate the increase in teachers' workload caused by NCEA.
"I've had the privilege of seeing education jurisdictions around the world firsthand - many of them - and I've yet to see another jurisdiction anywhere that is so intensive on a workload basis for teachers.
"We are essentially subjecting our nation's students and our teachers to a state of constant assessment. Weighing the pig does not make it bigger.
"We need to recalibrate that and I feel like this is that recalibration."
The principal said he is encouraging all staff to make a submission on the changes.
"I firmly believe that the devil is always in the detail. And in this particular case, the level of resourcing that the Government commits to this will make or break this."
"I have a lot of hope in what's presented today, but all of that rests upon appropriate levels of resourcing."
Burnside High School has more than 2600 students.
Plan to axe NCEA 'goes too far' - academic
Vera Alves
Some changes to NCEA were needed but plans to axe the secondary school qualification go too far, University of Auckland Associate Professor Aaron Wilson (Faculty of Arts and Education) says.
“Two strengths of NCEA were the balance of internal and external assessment, and that it showed in more detail students’ strengths and gaps in a subject than a single exam mark could.
“Exams can be valid assessments of some aspects of a student’s learning, but not all, which is why universities and tertiary providers don’t solely rely on them.”
End of NCEA 'promising', Employers and Manufacturers Association says
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New Zealand’s largest employer association says changes to replace NCEA with new internationally benchmarked qualifications are promising.
The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) said creating qualifications that have industry buy-in will set school leavers and the economy up for success.
"We have consistent feedback from our members that school leavers are not work-ready, citing low levels of communication, digital literacy and fundamental reading and maths skills,” EMA advocacy and stakeholder engagement lead Joanna Hall said.
"The inability of some young people to follow instructions or communicate effectively in the workplace limits their prospects, and it’s limiting our productivity as a country."
NCEA performance rankings: See how every high school ranks as Govt scraps qualification
Vera Alves
Vera Alves
Are you a parent or student affected by NCEA changes and keen to share your thoughts?
Email us at newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz
'Devil in the detail': Principals react to Govt's decision to scrap NCEA
Vera Alves
The Herald has reached out to school principals across the country for their thoughts on the Government's announcement.
"I think we needed some change. There's no doubt about that. I probably think the key thing moving forward is always the devil in the detail," St Thomas of Canterbury College principal Steve Hart said.
"I'll just be really interested and hopeful that there'll be really close consultation between schools and ministry as we start to put together a really meaningful qualification system."
Hart said the philosophy of NCEA was "quite good" but "over time, it lost a bit of alignment".
The standards were "difficult to understand ... one student might do doing Level 3, the same as another student that may have gained Level 3 through different pathways," he said.
"I think for prospective employers and people out in the workforce, it was difficult for them to understand the difference between the two.
Hart said there were parts of NCEA the Government should consider retaining.
"I do think having a breakdown of some internal qualifications and external is quite good. I think that can lend itself quite well to different learners - so that bit of the flexibility."
"I also think there were probably too many internal assessment opportunities, which I think certainly did increase workload for teachers over a period of time there."
"I think in some ways this will potentially reduce some workload for staff in terms of marking assessments."
Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney said the announcement was not a complete surprise.
"We've kind of been expecting this to happen for a couple of months now. The leaks have been sort of coming out every now and again, but a little stunned that they got rid of the whole of NCEA all the way from 1 to 3," he said.
Kearney said he is "one of the advocates of NCEA" and enjoyed working in that system.
"I thought the implementation at the very beginning was really robust and so for me I'm not the person to talk to that's going to pull NCEA apart," he said.
"I actually quite liked it, including Level 1. I thought it gave our students a purpose. So, I am worried that there is no longer Level 1.
"I really like Level 2 and Level 3. I think Level 2 and 3 suit the purpose. The key part though, is that it's really hard to defend a qualification Level 1, for example, when it's our national qualification and only 65% of schools actually use it. It's no longer a national qualification after that. So there had to be something done. Just a little surprised that they decided to remove the whole thing."
Kearney says he will make a submission but his school's biggest concern is the feeling there is a "real urgency by this Government to get stuff done now".
"I understand the nature behind that, but we are talking about a qualification that could be in play for the next 20 years, and sometimes it's good to go slow and get it right.
"My biggest concern is the urgency of this Government overrides the ability to make sure that they get this right.
"This is our national qualification for many, many years. It's a huge amount of work."
Labour worried National 'rushing changes' without proper consultation
Vera Alves
The Labour Party is concerned about the uncertainty raised by the Government's reforms.
“Previous rushed overhauls have led to students being the guinea pigs for failed change – like national standards – so we must get this right," education spokeswoman Willow Jean Prime said.
"Any change must be done with proper sector consultation and be based on evidence that it will lead to better outcomes for all students."
She believes the roughly six-week consultation period is a "short window" for people to have their voices heard.
“Already I’m hearing from schools and parents worried about what this all means for their students and how hasty these proposed changes are.
“NCEA is not perfect, which is why we started to implement a fully consulted change process that this Government delayed. Rushing changes through now for political expediency isn't the answer."
New system will 'bring trades closer', MTA says
Vera Alves
It's hoped proposed changes to NCEA will mean trades are treated as a serious career path and not a fall-back option. Motor Trade Association's James McDowall welcomed today’s announcement saying the NCEA system did not support schools in connecting students with vocational education and further training.
"There are programmes like Gateway [senior high school vocational programme] that try to resolve that. But really, there was certainly a lot more that could have been done by connecting school with vocational, getting in there earlier."
McDowall said the new system would enable students to try out different options, "mix and match" subjects and ease the process required to change pathways.
"So from that side of things, the new regime will bring the trades closer and take them more seriously so they're not seen as a fallback option."
With skill shortages affecting various sectors of the automotive industry, such as collision repair, McDowall said the changes will better support the pool of talent coming out of schools.
"I think there's a great opportunity for providers, such as MITO and ... the polytechnics, to connect with young people to help strengthen the pipeline [and] reduce long-term reliance on immigration as well to fill skill shortages," he said.
Act leader David Seymour welcomes NCEA changes
Vera Alves
Act is voicing its support for the secondary school qualification changes.
Act leader David Seymour, who is also an associate Minister of Education, says NCEA was "driven by an ideology that competition and excellence are bad, and every student should create their own academic adventure".
"It has meant diligent students who choose robust standards and apply themselves still do well, but there are also other, easier options."
Over the time NCEA has been in place, New Zealand high school students have fallen badly in the OECD’s PISA study.
The study of 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science is done once every three years.
“In the early 2000s when NCEA was introduced, New Zealand was often in the top five. Today we are 23rd for maths, and in each subject today’s students are about a year behind where the same-aged students were at the start of the century."
He says there has been a "worrying drift towards anxiety" and "away from resilience among students".
"Sitting exams and getting graded is tough, we all know that, but it serves as a useful preparation for life, taking on challenges and building resilience. By moving away from high-stakes exams, we may have unintentionally worn down New Zealand’s character.
“Replacing the NCEA with a rich body of real knowledge being richly assessed is the right direction. If New Zealand is going to be a high-income country through the 21st century, it must have the policies in place to pass useful knowledge from one generation to the next."
PM Christopher Luxon reacts to Greens' criticism
Vera Alves
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he won't be taking advice from the Greens on education policy. He says he wants New Zealand children to have the same opportunities, if not more, than those in other countries.
The Prime Minister says the Government is being clear about what students should learn with "core" subjects that provide "foundational knowledge".
He calls the Greens' statement "glib" and calls for them to read through the discussion document.
Erica Stanford says new curriculum will be world-leading
Vera Alves
Erica Stanford says the new curriculum is being written at the moment. Expert writing groups are working with teachers, principals and others, while also looking at what's working overseas, she says.
The new curriculum will be world-leading, Stanford says.
If any schools want to use IB or Cambridge, that is up to them, but she believes the new curriculum will lead to fewer schools needing to use them.
Scrapping NCEA ' throwing the baby out with the bathwater' - Green Party
Vera Alves
The Green Party believes the education changes announced today are "turning back the clock on decades of progress towards a student-centred system".
“Scrapping the entire NCEA system is throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” Green Party education spokesperson Lawrence Xu-Nan says.
“Every child deserves a high-quality, free, accessible public education that gives them the best possible start in life.
“When NCEA was introduced, it was the result of work by educators and communities to move Aotearoa away from a system that was narrow, constraining and rationed.
“NCEA, while not perfect, recognised learning takes place in different ways, and that young people deserve opportunities to succeed in ways that fit them."
Xu-Nan said today's proposal is an example of the Government "favouring a one-size-fits-all" approach.
"Our education system is too important to be reduced to a single, rigid framework that will leave many behind."
Erica Stanford on university entrance grading
Vera Alves
Asked about grading for university entrance, Erica Stanford says universities already dictate what grades they require for students to get access.
Under the new scheme, Stanford says universities will be able to see a record of learning with clear grades and it will be nationally consistent.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon adds that this will also be important for employers looking for a clear indication of students' work.
First cohort to see changes will be current Year 8
Vera Alves
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says today is a "momentous" one as the Government seeks to reset the secondary school qualification. New Zealand needs a "world-class education system". There is nothing more important than getting our kids off to a great education, Luxon says.
Education Minister Erica Stanford says the first cohort to see changes will be the current Year 8. From next year, they will be learning from a new curriculum. That will set them up over three years before the new certificate at Year 12.
Stanford says after New Zealand moved to a standards-based approach, "nobody followed us".
NCEA is still a credible qualification, Stanford says, noting her children are undergoing it. But it can be much better, she says.
When the Government was looking at changes, everything was on the table. Stanford says there was a lot of thinking about flexibility. While some wanted only external examinations, she says it is appropriate to still have some internal assessments.
Stanford believes the rollout has been carefully thought out to give teachers time to come to grips with the changes. It will also work well with students, she says, to ensure that no student is having to work with a mismatch of curriculums or qualifications.
New 'subject approach' could be 'more difficult' to achieve - Ministry of Education document
Vera Alves
The discussion document from the Ministry of Education makes clear the new "subject approach" could be "more difficult" to achieve.
Currently students can gain credits from often unrelated standards across various subjects to hit the minimum required.
"A subject approach is meant to give a more accurate picture of a student’s learning in a subject area, so there will no longer be an opportunity to use random standards from other subjects to improve results," the document says.
Schools will have less flexibility as students will need to be offered "whole" subjects.
"This means completing a range of assessments in the same subject, having studied the subject across the school year. These assessments will still be made up of a mixture of internal and external assessments, as is appropriate for each subject."
There will be some choice for teachers around what books, projects and research is undertaken as long as they meet assessment requirements.
NCEA is being scrapped - here is what will replace it
Vera Alves
A radical shake-up of the country’s main secondary school qualification will see NCEA abolished completely and replaced with two new qualifications at Year 12 and 13.
Here's what you need to know about the changes.
Vera Alves
Potential option to lift school leaving age from 16 to 17
Vera Alves
Hidden in the just-released discussion document is the potential future idea of lifting the school leaving age from 16 to 17.
This doesn't appear to be something under active consideration by the Government, but instead a potential option to get more students to achieve a certificate.
With NCEA Level 1 being removed, Ministry of Education officials note students may not complete Year 12 and therefore won't leave school with any qualification (other than the foundational award). This could lead to similar issues as currently, where some employers don't believe school leavers are ready for employment.
"Students should be supported to stay in school and complete Year 12 because full participation at school will reduce the risk that students unintentionally limit their post-school options."
While the ministry will initially look at what targeted support could be provided alongside the new curriculum, it does suggest other options may be necessary.
"The ministry may also explore changes that ensure students are given every opportunity to gain a qualification. For example, there is an option to lift the school leaving age from 16 to 17."
🎧Why schools are moving away from NCEA and are the alternatives any better? - The Front Page
Vera Alves
PPTA president reacts
Vera Alves
What's the timeline?
Vera Alves
Consultation begins today on the Government's proposal. A discussion document has been released and New Zealanders can respond to it with their thoughts on what has been outlined. This will run into September.
Between September and October, there will be analysis by officials of the feedback to identify where any changes may be needed.
In November, Cabinet will meet to consider the final policy recommendations.
Once confirmed, any changes would then be rolled out over the next five years as the curriculum is also refreshed.
The current thinking is having the new Year 11 foundational award come into effect in 2028, the Year 12 certificate in 2029, and the Year 13 certificate in 2030.
Teachers’ union sceptical of changes
Vera Alves
President of teachers’ union Chris Abercrombie called on the Government to retain what he called the positive aspects of NCEA.
“PPTA Te Wehengarua, and secondary teachers, have been the guardians of the NCEA over many years, because we can see the undoubted benefits for students.
“As a standards-based assessment system that is based on the principle that all students should have opportunities to succeed, be rewarded for what they know, and can demonstrate and fulfil their potential, the NCEA has clear advantages over the previous qualification system, which had a built-in failure rate,” he said.
Abercrombie agreed with some problems to NCEA, saying that there was “widespread agreement on improvements to NCEA, including fewer and larger standards, clearer vocational pathways, and a simpler structure”.
“However, to the great frustration of teachers these changes either failed to be implemented or resourced adequately.
“The lack of adequate support for, and political flip flopping on, NCEA means teachers are left trying to fill the gaps. We need stability and certainty,” he said.
Abercrombie said teachers were not involved in developing Stanford’s proposals.
“However, teachers know already that the last thing anyone needs is change for change’s sake or political legacy.
“It is good to see there is still a broad consensus among politicians that our standards-based qualifications system is what Aotearoa New Zealand is committed to having. The task of government is to ensure that ours is the very best system that can be developed. Our students deserve nothing less,” he said.
Business NZ says education overhaul presents opportunity
Vera Alves
The overhaul of New Zealand’s education system is a chance to ensure school leavers are better equipped for the modern workforce, says BusinessNZ.
Chief executive Katherine Rich said NCEA was failing students.
"The current system of NCEA is not delivering what students, parents, teachers, or employers need. Change is necessary to ensure young people are better prepared for further education, training, and the world of work.
"Whether a school-leaver is heading on to university, an apprenticeship, or directly into work, the education system must offer transparent, reliable guidance to build confidence and inform whatever choice they’re making."
A consultation document has been released by the Government today, seeking input on the future of education.
Rich said BusinessNZ, where today's announcement was made at an education breakfast event, encouraged businesses to participate in the transformation of the education system in New Zealand.
"This is an opportunity to strengthen the connection between schools, training providers, and industry. By working closer together, we can better support learners with real-world pathways, ensure relevant skills are being learned, and deliver long-term benefits for communities and the economy alike."
Vera Alves
First major change to come into effect in 2028
Vera Alves
Stanford says there will be a successful and carefully phased in approach. She says sector input will be vital to getting this right. It won't be until 2028 that the first major change comes into effect, with the Year 11 foundational award. Consultation will be open until September and Stanford encourages everyone to have their say.
"This change is bold, but it is needed. We will deliver as we have been in education," Stanford ends her speech.
Stanford says new system will remove guesswork
Vera Alves
Stanford says the best parts of NCEA will be retained, including balancing internal assessments with external exams. That could be three internals and one final exam, she says.
Students will be encouraged to sit all assessments, including end of year exams. She says this is removing guesswork and uncertainty and prepares students for life beyond school.
Vera Alves
Stanford says she is "really proud of" the vocational pathways as these are "absolutely crucial". New Zealand needs to raise the status of these and for them to be on par with academic pathways. The economy runs on skilled tradespeople and the pathways at school "must be strengthened".
That is why the Government is proposing to work with industry to design these new courses, the minister says.
What NCEA will be replaced with
Vera Alves
- Under the new scheme, Year 11 students will face what is being called a ‘Foundational Skills Award’ with a focus on literacy and numeracy. English and mathematics will be required subjects for students at this year level.
- Year 12 and 13 students will seek to attain the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) respectively.
- The move replaces the current standards-based assessment system with a structured approach that requires students to take five subjects and pass at least four to receive the Year 12 and 13 certificates.
- The assessments will have a clear “out of 100” marking system alongside A to E letter grades, that the Government hopes will make sense to parents and students.
- The Government will seek to implement the changes over the next five years alongside a refreshed curriculum.
- The Year 11 foundational award will be introduced from 2028, the Year 12 certificate in 2029, and the Year 13 certificate in 2030.
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the evidence showed NCEA “is not consistent” and “can be hard to navigate”.
Vera Alves
"We need a national qualification that sets students up for success," Stanford says. This must give students "pride" and must be understandable by parents. "We are ambitious for your children," Stanford tells parents.
The minister is now outlining key elements of the proposal, including removing NCEA Level 1. She says we are one of the only countries with three years of high-stake assessments. Under this proposal, students will be able to focus on literacy and numeracy during this year.
Level 2 and Level 3 will be replaced with new certificates. Students will be required to take 5 subjects and need to pass 4 to receive the qualification. These will be "clearer" and internationally-comparable, Stanford says.
Hamish Fletcher
Stanford said that 60% of teachers don't believe NCEA Level 1 is reliable and 70% of employers don't believe it is a credible qualification.
The minister mentions there were 250,000 instances last year of students skipping external examinations.
Further, 30% of students used unit standards designed for vocational pathways just to get across the minimum credit requirement.
This means students aren't getting the "deep learning" they need to succeed.
'It didn't make sense to me that an E is better than an A' - Stanford
Hamish Fletcher
Education Minister Erica Stanford says the Government has been on a "transformational journey" to update the education system and lift achievement.
Everything has been part of a "deliberate, coordinated approach".
She says "bold educational reforms" have begun embedding in primary and intermediate schools, but now is time to reveal an "important milestone in restoring excellence".
While NCEA has been designed to be "flexible and inclusive" and delivered in some areas, the flexibility has gone too far and masked poor performance.
She says, as a parent, "even I did not understand NCEA".
"It didn't make sense to me that an E is better than an A".
Hamish Fletcher
Speaking in Auckland, Luxon said students are choosing subjects and standards that are "easier to pass" rather than those best for them.
He says the Government wants to change that so they get jobs that contribute to the country's economy and have higher wages.
NCEA to be abolished in massive education overhaul
Hamish Fletcher
A radical shake-up of the country’s main secondary school qualification will see NCEA abolished and replaced with two new qualifications at Year 12 and 13.
The proposal, which is open for consultation until September before final decisions are made, represents the most significant update to secondary school assessments since NCEA was introduced more than two decades ago.
Under the new scheme, Year 11 students will face what is being called a ‘Foundational Skills Award’ with a focus on literacy and numeracy. English and mathematics will be required subjects for students at this year level.
The intent of removing the Year 11 qualification is to give students time “to focus on deep learning of foundational skills and knowledge before undertaking high stakes assessments in Years 12 and 13”.
Year 12 and 13 students will seek to attain the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) respectively.
The move replaces the current standards-based assessment system with a structured approach that requires students to take five subjects and pass at least four to receive the Year 12 and 13 certificates.
The assessments will have a clear “out of 100” marking system alongside A to E letter grades, that the Government hopes will make sense to parents and students.
The Government will seek to implement the changes over the next five years alongside a refreshed curriculum.
The Year 11 foundational award will be introduced from 2028, the Year 12 certificate in 2029, and the Year 13 certificate in 2030.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the evidence showed NCEA “is not consistent” and “can be hard to navigate”.
“New Zealand’s future depends on our young people having the skills to succeed in the modern global economy. We’re backing Kiwi kids with a new internationally benchmarked national qualification designed to do exactly that.”
Education Minister Erica Stanford said that while NCEA was designed to be flexible, for many students that flexibility had encouraged a focus on simply attaining the qualification.“This has come at the cost of developing the critical skills and knowledge they need for clear pathways into future study, training or employment.”
PM says 'massive change' coming
Tom Dillane
Luxon told Herald NOW’s Ryan Bridge this morning that it would be a “massive change” to the New Zealand education system.
“I won't get ahead of the announcement, but suffice to say it's massive,” Luxon said.
Tom Dillane
Today’s announcement will be livestreamed from the top of this article.
The NCEA changes will be unveiled at an event in Auckland attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford.
Hints at what’s to come
Tom Dillane
In several interviews with the Herald, the Education Minister has made comments that hint at what today’s proposal could involve.
Notably, she’s raised the possibility that some of the current system’s flexibility may need to be replaced with more structure.
“Huge amount of flexibility has done us a disservice in some cases,” Stanford said last week.
“That’s the questions we’ll be asking, do we need to trade off some of that flexibility to make sure that we’ve got good coherent deep packages of learning that are consistent across the country?”
There is currently no nationally compulsory NCEA course, meaning schools and students have some freedom to decide which subjects and standards they offer and sit.
While numeracy and literacy co-requisites have been introduced, officials say there is otherwise “no core learning required to achieve subjects within the qualification”.
“This design feature of NCEA can influence how programmes of learning are constructed, with some being structured around combinations of standards that are perceived to be ‘easier’, to maximise credit accumulation, and help students achieve the minimum 60-credit threshold,” the NZQA said in one paper.
Students gather credits from a “wide range” of standards, which officials said can come at “the expense of coherent course design”.
Another document from the NZQA focused on vocational education came to a similar conclusion when looking at how students engage with unit standards, which assess practical skills rather than traditional curriculum subjects.
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. In 2025, he was a finalist for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.