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The draft Adult Literacy Quality Mark (dALQM) was developed as a mechanism for quality assuring adult literacy provision. The dALQM demonstration project asked providers to comment on the value of the dALQM as a quality standard for the sector and to determine their readiness to be measured against it. In May 2001, the New Zealand government strategy for adult literacy, 'More than words: a strategy for adult literacy' (indexed at TD/IRD 88.351) was released. Quality assurance is one of the strategy's key elements. In 2002, the dALQM was developed by a group of literacy specialists and quality assurance representatives. The aim was to apply a nationally consistent organisational literacy quality standard across a range of learning contexts where literacy development is offered and across a range of learner groups. In 2003, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) was asked to develop and carry out a trial of the dALQM. The revised dALQM and supporting self-assessment guidelines were sent out to 43 providers, who were asked to fill out an accompanying survey. Literacy specialists and quality auditors then appraised a small number of the providers that participated in the survey. The project identified a number of activities that need to take place to effectively implement a quality standard for literacy provision in New Zealand. The conclusions and recommendations presented are based on the assumption that the dALQM, self-assessment and appraisal approach used during the project will be the likely mechanisms and processes to be used to measure quality literacy provision in the future. The findings from this project suggest a sizable amount of work is required to ready the sector to have quality literacy provision effectively measured. Show less

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is proposing to recognise micro-credentials, alongside qualifications, within New Zealand's government regulated education and training system from July 2018. Micro-credentials are a coherent package of learning and assessment, typically smaller than a qualification, that certifies achievement of a specific set of skills and knowledge needed by industry and or community. A range of terms can be used to describe micro-credentials including badges and nano-credentials. NZQA proposes using the term micro-credential. This paper is seeking feedback and advice on proposals for the recognition and quality assurance of micro-credentials. We are also consulting on proposed changes to the current Training Schemes Rules 2012 to include micro-credentials. The Training Scheme Rules are an existing mechanism within the education and training system that can be used to recognise micro-credentials.

The proposals have been developed in conjunction with a sector working group and informed by the three micro-credential pilots underway since July 2017. These pilots have stimulated a large number of enquiries and interest in micro-credentials, confirming there is a demand for this type of education product to be recognised within the New Zealand education and training system. This paper proposes an approach to recognising micro-credentials appropriate for the New Zealand education and training system. It allows for micro-credentials from New Zealand tertiary education organisations which operate within the government regulated education and training system to be quality assured. It also makes provision for micro-credentials from other organisations.

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This document summarises the activity and achievement of New Zealand's secondary school students since the full implementation of the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in 2004. In 2009, the NCEA system of school qualifications saw its sixth year of full implementation. The achievement data from these six years provide an opportunity to analyse ways in which qualifications achievement by secondary students has changed since implementation. Section 1 of this report provides a series of graphs and tables showing comparisons of students' qualifications achievement over time. Also in the first section, a more detailed analysis of the performance of the cohort of students that commenced Year 11 in 2007 is presented. The data in this section allow for comparison of the performance of students grouped by gender, ethnicity and, as a proxy for their socio-economic level, the decile ratings of the schools they attend. Section 2 provides information on various aspects of internal and external assessment in schools. Also contained in this section are some administrative data; for example, on breaches of rules for external assessments.

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This document summarises the activity and achievement of New Zealand's secondary school [National Certificates of Educational Achievement] NCEA candidates since the full implementation of the NCEA system in 2004. In 2010, the NCEA system of school qualifications saw its seventh year of full implementation. The achievement data from these seven years provide an opportunity, unprecedented in the history of secondary education in New Zealand, to analyse trends in candidates' attainment of qualifications since implementation. Section 1 of this report provides a series of graphs and tables showing comparisons of candidates' attainment of NCEA and Scholarship qualifications over time. Also presented in the first section is a detailed analysis of the performance of the cohort of students that commenced Year 11 in 2008. The data in this section allow for comparison of the performance of students grouped by gender, ethnicity and, as a proxy for their socio-economic level, the decile ratings of the schools they attend. In 2010 there were encouraging increases in attainment of NCEA qualifications over 2009 across all NCEA levels. In particular, the attainment gaps between Maori and Pasifika candidates on one hand, and European and Asian candidates on the other hand, reduced at all NCEA levels. Section 1 also provides data on New Zealand Scholarship, a system of assessment designed to recognise top-level performance. New Zealand Scholarship attracts increasing numbers of entries each year. In 2010 the performance gap between males and females in New Zealand Scholarship closed. Male and female candidates gained similar numbers of Scholarships, but males earned the majority of Outstanding Scholarships. Section 2 provides information on various aspects of internal and external assessment in schools. Also presented in this section are various administrative data; for example, on breaches of rules for external assessments and on reviews and reconsiderations of examination results.

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An internal investigation and an external Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) audit of two Maori performing arts programmes delivered by the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT) were conducted during the period May-September 2014. These investigations found poor standards of administration and record keeping, ineffective management controls, and a lack of credibility of reported academic results. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) accompanied Deloitte on a follow-up visit to WITT on 9-10 September 2014. NZQA's primary focus at this visit was to gather evidence of WITT's assessment practices and evaluate the validity of qualifications awarded to graduates of the two programmes. Deloitte gathered detailed information regarding WITT's programme delivery, which has been considered in reaching the conclusions and recommendations in this report.

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