Further investment to move NCEA exams online

Budget 2020 includes $38.7 million to enable National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) online examinations to continue to grow, matching the uptake in digital learning as a result of COVID-19.

Two-thirds of the NCEA examinations can now be delivered online by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

In 2019, almost 200 schools participated in NCEA online, with more than one in 10 students at those schools sitting one or more exams digitally. A recent student experience evaluation of NCEA online showed that 97% of those surveyed found the digital exam was a positive experience, and over the past two years there has been an increase in uptake on online exams.

For this year’s NCEA students, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is on track to offer 58 NCEA digital exams across 21 subjects, at NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3. This represents approximately two-thirds of NCEA examinations and is a significant increase from the 35 examinations successfully offered in 2019.

Over the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years, NZQA will spend approximately $14.5 million each year on enhancing and delivering NCEA online. An additional $4.8 million annually will allow NCEA Online to continue operating in the future.

Over the longer-term, digital examinations provide an opportunity to deliver a wider range of assessments at more locations and is another step towards delivering a more modern and resilient education system.

 

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