Summarised by Centrist
The Government has proposed abolishing NCEA and replacing it with two new secondary school qualifications: the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) for Year 12 and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) for Year 13.
A new Foundational Skills Award focused on literacy and numeracy will be introduced at Year 11. English and mathematics will be compulsory subjects at this level.
The proposal would require students in Years 12 and 13 to take five subjects and pass at least four. Assessment would include a mark out of 100 and A to E letter grades.
The new qualifications would be rolled out from 2028 to 2030. The proposal is currently open for public consultation.
The government is also considering raising the school leaving age from 16 to 17. Industry input will be sought to strengthen vocational education pathways.
Officials and reports from ERO and NZQA have raised concerns about NCEA’s flexibility, internal assessment reliance, and lack of structured learning pathways. Some schools have already dropped NCEA Level 1.
The Ministry of Education’s discussion document notes that the new model would reduce flexibility but aims to improve clarity, credibility, and outcomes for students.
