Literacy is a foundational skill that enables access to further learning, develops important life skills, and allows people to fully engage in work and in their communities.

Everyone has a role to play in developing NCEA literacy, including school leaders, kaiako, whānau and ākonga.

Strong foundational reading and writing skills increase ākonga engagement and:

• improve work and career outcomes;
• enable broader contribution in communities; and
• lead to better health outcomes.

About NCEA Literacy

NCEA Literacy supports ākonga to develop a level of literacy knowledge and skills to engage successfully with all the learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum, as well as learning in non-school settings. NCEA Literacy covers foundational literacy. This is approximately Phase 3 (Year 8) and Phase 4 (Year 9) of the New Zealand Curriculum, whereby a student has full control over Phase 3 (Year 8) and is beginning to work at Phase 4 (Year 9).

From 2024, to gain an NCEA qualification, ākonga must pass either a Te Reo Matatini standard or these two Literacy standards:

• US32403: Read written texts to understand ideas and information
• US32405: Write texts to communicate ideas and information. 

Or gain 10 literacy credits through an approved list of literacy-rich standards. More details on these standards can be found here: Standards approved for NCEA Co-requisite during the transition period (2024-2027) | NCEA