As encouraging as this result is, global benchmarks are proving that our celebrations should be balanced against mounting evidence that NCEA is not providing a true picture of how our students are faring in mathematics, reading and science.
The New Zealand Initiative have published a research piece ‘Spoiled by Choice – How NCEA hampers education and what it needs to succeed’. (https://nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/reports/spoiled-by-choice-how-ncea-hampers-education-and-what-it-needs-to-succeed/) that demonstrates a troubling downward trend in New Zealand for learning success in mathematics, science and reading.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12030269