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Dave @lemmy.nz

Literacy, numeracy tests as NCEA requirement 'detrimental' to learners

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Literacy, numeracy tests as NCEA requirement 'detrimental' to learners

Some key parts:

A leading education researcher warns new high-stakes NCEA literacy and maths tests could do more harm than good.

From 2026 students would not be allowed an NCEA certificate until they had passed all three tests in reading, writing and maths.

Darr said schools needed other options for assessing literacy and numeracy and meeting the requirements should not be a prerequisite for receiving an NCEA qualification.

Literacy and numeracy could be a separate qualification, or they could be included in the NCEA certificates in the same manner that standards from other subjects were included.

15 comments

  • meeting the requirements should not be a prerequisite for receiving an NCEA qualification

    I'm sorry, what?

    Meeting the requirements for a standard is the whole point of having a standard...

    • But they aren't currently part of the standard.

      Currently (based on my understanding), you need so many points in whatever you choose to get NCEA. Like picking a degree in something, you can choose to do psychology or computer science, or whatever, and get a degree. NCEA says you've attained a level of education in the subjects you chose. Edit: There are some base numeracy and literacy requirements but they can be obtained through other subjects, e.g. through geography classwork.

      Note that university entrance does have a reading/writing (English credits) and maths credits requirement, which is different from just attaining a level in NCEA.

      The government is proposing to add a requirement that all NCEA qualifications must have reading, writing, and maths credits to a certain level. This is not currently part of the standard, so it's a change to the standard. Edit: rephrasing - the government is proposing to add literacy and numeracy tests as requuirements, which is different to the current process where you just have to show your numeracy/literacy skills in some way.

  • This leads on from the discussion yesterday. It seems currently to get NCEA you need enough points, but what those points are in doesn't matter.

    This change is going to require reading, writing, and maths tests which 46% of kids are failing currently.

    So it comes back to the discussion of what our goal is for schools.

    • NCEA is a terrible system. Reading, writing and math are the core of all education.

      Literally every other part of education stands on these pillars. Not everyone needs to be an expert, but a basic level of understanding in these three is so important in the modern world as to be a human right.

      Do you want to be a laborer on a building site? You better be able to read those safety rules, otherwise you will not be able to be employed.
      How about a cleaner; there are a lot of different bottles that you need to handle with various cleaning products....which pink liquid was the dishwash and which was the floor cleaner?

      Though thinking about it; I would add three more pillars; empathy, team work and critical thinking.

      • NCEA was built to move the focus away from the make or break exams that the previous system had. I don't have a particular opinion on how good NCEA is but I feel like at some level it's an improvement, even if not perfect.

        I would say with your examples, these people don't actually need to read. Your supervisor tells you what you can and can't do. It's no different from the many labourers in NZ (and other English speaking countries) that can hardly speak English but all the rules are written in English. It doesn't prevent them getting a job, but does prevent them getting promoted.

        Now as for whether reading, writing, and maths are pillars of education, well I can't fault that but I am trying really hard to play devils advocate to the idea that teaching these skills is the goal of schools. We should have life goals that we aim for and skills we teach towards those goals. Do we measure a society on whether its people are happy? Ethical? Rich?

        Reading, writing, and maths may be critical to reach the goals, but I don't think we as a society have goals. Some people want their kids to have high paying jobs, others just want them to be happy. What kids need from school may be different for these different goals, but with a broad brush approach what we get is most kids not succeeding in either.

  • NCEA has always had literacy and numeracy requirements to gain the final qualification. The difference now is that the assessment of these requirements have changed whereas before if you did okay in one of the liberal arts and Maths or Science you probably had the requirements without really trying. I personally like the fact that it is a little more rigorous now.

15 comments