‘Hiccups’, euphoria logging into NCEA results
The results are out and online today, ready for 165,000 students waiting to learn the outcome of their end-of year National Certificate of Educational Achievement exams.
Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand (SPANZ) president Michael Williams said results day was a big one for both parents and students. There would be euphoria for those who received their desired results but there would also be disappointment.
‘‘It’s not a time for dramatic action. It’s really important that parents and students take a breath. There are lots of ways to achieve where you want to go to.’’
If year 13s missed their marks, Williams said they should talk to the school about the alternatives. The same went for level 1 and 2 students worried about missing out on course entry.
‘‘The reality is there is a month of school before university starts. It’s quite common for students to go back to school for a month and pick up those extra couple of credits they were short on.
‘‘I think all adults know that life is never as smooth as we want it to be. There’s always hiccups. There’s always different ways of achieving outcomes. The role of a parent is to help the students through that disappointment.’’
University courses with restricted access often had student intakes after the first year, which could give students the opportunity to study an allied course and change studies, Williams said.
There was also a small chance there had been a mistake in the marking of the paper but students concerned about this should talk to their teachers. ‘‘There’s a possibility of going and getting a
reassessment of your mark done.’’
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has extended its call centre hours for students’ specific queries about their results.
Assessment deputy chief executive Kristine Kilkelly said internet connectivity and the kind of device the student used to login could delay students in accessing their results online.
‘‘We dedicate IT resources towards ensuring results are accessible and we test extensively in the lead up to results release.’’
The results come as the Ministry of Education continues its NCEA review, announced in late 2017.
It planned to look at whether all students should attempt the level one qualification and whether teenagers were being over-assessed.
About 1.3 million exam booklets were marked following the 2018 exams.
‘‘It’s not a time for dramatic action.’’ Secondary Principals’ Association president Michael Williams