The first two school terms have again been disrupted by COVID-19, and changes have been put in place to help give ākonga a fair opportunity to achieve NCEA or university entrance this year.

The package of changes recognises the impact COVID-19 has had on senior secondary students’ learning in 2022, says Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti.

“We have heard from schools how significant absences of students and teachers as a result of COVID-19 have had a substantial impact on teaching, learning and assessment in the first two terms,” Jan Tinetti says.

As in 2020 and 2021, these changes include Learning Recognition Credits, which are based on the number of credits ākonga achieve during the 2022 school year.

The dates for end of year examinations in 2022 remain unchanged.

For more detail on the Learning Recognition Credits and other NCEA changes, click through to NZQA’s website.

The Ministry of Education is considering additional support for students to do catch-up learning so they can complete their qualifications before leaving school. Where that learning extends into 2023, NZQA will facilitate students’ being awarded their qualification earlier in the year. This means students who need additional credits can return to school for the time required to achieve those credits; and will then be awarded their qualification.

“We strongly encourage students to take up opportunities to complete their qualifications before leaving school. We want to give senior students certainty that despite the disruption they have faced they will have every opportunity to gain the credits and qualifications they need for the future,” Jan Tinetti says.