The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the official secondary-school qualification in New Zealand.
3 exceptions exist for Physical Education, Religious Studies and Level Three Visual Arts, as all standards in these subjects are either entirely internally or externally assessed.
[18] According to NZQA, NCEA is the only secondary school qualification worldwide where marked examination papers are returned to students.
[27] Design (Practical Art) Drama History of Art Music Studies Painting (Practical Art) Photography (Practical Art) Printmaking (Practical Art) Sculpture (Practical Art) Design (Practical Art) Drama History of Art Music Studies Painting (Practical Art) Photography (Practical Art) Printmaking (Practical Art) Sculpture (Practical Art) Design (Practical Art) Drama History of Art Music Studies Painting (Practical Art) Photography (Practical Art) Printmaking (Practical Art) Sculpture (Practical Art) Home Economics Physical Education Home Economics Physical Education Home Economics Physical Education Cook Islands Maori French German Indonesian Japanese Korean Latin New Zealand Sign Language Samoan Spanish Tongan Cook Islands Maori French German Indonesian Japanese Korean Latin New Zealand Sign Language Samoan Spanish Tongan Cook Islands Maori French German Indonesian Japanese Korean Latin New Zealand Sign Language Samoan Spanish Tongan Mathematics Statistics Biology Chemistry Physics Science Biology Chemistry Earth and Space Science Physics Science Biology Chemistry Earth and Space Science Physics Business Studies Classical Studies Economics Geography History Media Studies Psychology Social Studies Business Studies Classical Studies Economics Geography History Media Studies Psychology Social Studies Business Studies Classical Studies Economics Geography History Media Studies Psychology Social Studies Design and Visual Communication Digital Technologies Processing Technologies Technology Design and Visual Communication Digital Technologies Processing Technologies Technology Design and Visual Communication Digital Technologies Processing Technologies Technology Te Reo Māori Te Reo Rangatira Religious Studies Te Reo Māori Te Reo Rangatira Religious Studies Te Reo Māori Te Reo Rangatira In January 2013, hundreds of students were able to access their grades a day before they were due to be released, after they were accidentally posted online.
[29] In June 2014 NZQA released a press statement saying that nearly 25% of the 2013 internal assessments were incorrectly marked.
[30] Each year NZQA takes a random sample of internal assessment for close checking.
[31] NZQA said there were more mistakes than usual as new standards had been introduced during the ongoing realignment and teachers had not yet adjusted their marking.
In July 2015, James Cote and Michael Johnston suggested that grade inflation was behind the increases in NCEA student pass rates.
[33] In September 2016, the Level One MCAT (Maths Common Assessment Test) was criticised for being set at a level that was "far too difficult",[34] although Education Minister Hekia Parata commented that 'overall achievement in the assessment was "in line with expectations and higher than 2015"'.
[35] Between 30 October and 10 November 2023, the online platform used to administer NCEA exams had several failures.
In May 2024, an independent review stated that NZQA was "too relaxed" about its relationship with the company providing the online platform.