What does it all mean?

I AM not impressed by the claim of ‘‘highest pass rates’’ (ODT, 5.5.22). Eightythree percent of what?

I ask of the first figure quoted. I suspect it is of those young people in the province who entered or sat the NCEA1 examinations.

I also suspect that whether disabled young people give these examinations a go depends very much on hunch decisions of their teachers and caregivers as to whether it is good for them.

I also suspect that there is little or no effort to make these decisions of who sits and who doesn't consistent across the country.

This does not really concern me except that it renders these percentage pass statistics irrelevant.

They should not even be calculated.

This does not mean that we should not investigate teachers who don't seem to be getting exam results and fix any problem found.

Let us use statistics carefully for the benefit of everyone. Allan Golden

Pine Hill