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This paper examines the implications of the NCEA approach to standards-based assessment, in particular the reliability of assessment against separate achievement standards, and the pedagogical implications of the policy of non-aggregation. The paper argues that assessment against separate standards is unlikely to yield sufficiently reliable results to satisfy public credibility, and that the same focus is likely to foster a “bricks without mortar” approach to course design, delivery and assessment. The paper also argues that the NCEA involves manageability issues similar to that of unit standards. The recommendation is made that the designers of the NCEA rethink the basis by which internal and external assessments could be blended within a standards-based system so that the strengths of each approach to assessment are emphasised.

This paper examines some of the proposals in the Government Green Paper A Future Qualifications Policy for New Zealand. An analysis of responses to the Green Paper indicates a strong division between those closely associated with industry training and those responsible for the provision of general and professional education. The position taken in this article is that the Green Paper is a major advance on the current National Qualifications Framework (NQF), but that the proposals are unlikely to be implemented successfully without greater mutual understanding between the different sectors (industry, schools, universities and other tertiary providers). The paper identifies 17 considerations that a new qualifications structure should address if it is to be implemented successfully. Of the models suggested in publicly available responses to the Green Paper, the one proposed by Smithers (1997) comes closest to addressing the concerns raised in this article.

This article examines the issue of “variability” that resulted in widespread media criticisms of the 2004 Scholarship examinations in New Zealand. The authors argue that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and the Ministry of Education have taken an ideological position on the use of standards-based assessment, ignoring the evidence both from the literature and from international experience that recognises the immense difficulties in implementing a “pure” form of standards-based assessment. The article questions the capacity of NZQA to administer the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA), given the outcomes of the 2002-2004 period of implementation. It concludes by recommending 13 key changes or developments that are needed to redress the problems currently plaguing NCEA and Scholarship.