Expert inquiry panel calls for changes to new secondary school qualification system

Tirotiro Anō, a panel of nine current and former teachers, school leaders, researchers, and curriculum and assessment specialists with diverse experience across secondary education, has released today the first report of its inquiry into the new qualifications system. The inquiry is commissioned by PPTA Te Wehengarua.

Kate Gainsford, co-chair of the panel, says the inquiry found that uncertainty about the qualification design has undermined confidence within the education profession that the changes will provide sufficient flexibility, equitable outcomes, or manageable implementation.

“There is time for our recommendations to be taken into consideration, given that policy decisions are still to be made, or still to be made public, about the direction and details of the future secondary school qualifications.

“Our intention is for the findings of the report to be helpful in the education conversation across the country, while further decisions are made and changes are introduced.”

Melissa Denzler, the panel’s co-chair, said the report also called on the Government to provide credible evidence that the reforms meet its Treaty obligations, including meaningful Māori authority and influence in decision-making, active protection of te reo Māori and mātauranga Māori, and conditions that enable ākonga Māori to exercise meaningful choice and succeed across diverse pathways. 

“Partnership with Māori, protection for te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi are fundamental to the design and implementation of an equitable education system in Aotearoa.

“However, our inquiry has found that processes to enable meaningful and authentic Māori participation and influence in the development of the reform package were not evident or supported.”

The inquiry identified structural features of the qualifications system that could restrict equitable access to qualification success. These included requirements for examinations in all subjects and the requirement to pass three subjects.

Kate Gainsford said that the evidence considered by the inquiry indicated that these system settings would not affect all learners equally. The Ministry of Education’s own analysis identified disproportionate impacts for Māori and Pacific learners and disabled students.

“If the planned changes proceed unchecked and without a comprehensive plan for students aiming to gain qualifications affected by 'mid game rules changes,'  by implication this appears to be the public education  leadership and government level seeing the losses as acceptable. However, practitioners in schools do not consider such losses, acceptable.

The report recommends the establishment of a long-cycle mechanism for education policy, curriculum and qualification change, including key education agencies and democratically elected teacher union representatives, to reduce expensive and time consuming policy lurches and build wider understanding and acceptance of the education system. 

The panel’s report will be considered by delegates to PPTA Te Wehengarua Annual Conference this week.