About 3000 of those who failed were in Years 12-13. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Principals say some school-leavers will have to rethink their plans after failing critical NCEA literacy and numeracy tests.
Nearly 40,000 students failed the numeracy test, and around 26,000-28,000 failed the reading and writing tests and they cannot get an NCEA qualification until they pass.
Read the numeracy assessment (PDF: 3.4MB)
Most of the students were in Year 10, but about 3000 of those who failed were in Years 12-13.
Botany Downs Secondary College principal Karen Brinsden said younger students could have another go next year but students who were planning to leave school were in a pickle.
Thousands of students failed numeracy, reading and writing tests
"We haven't got access to those students to get them back in and look at what we can do for them. So either they leave without that qualification or they try to come back in at the beginning of the new year in a bit of fluster about what are they going to do," she said.
Brinsden said those that wanted to receive an NCEA qualification would need to complete standards that were available as a temporary alternative to the tests.
Many schools, especially in Auckland, had experienced an influx of new migrant students this year and last year.
Brinsden said those students were at a disadvantage with the tests.
"They're disadvantaged because they're new to the country, they're disadvantaged because English is not their first language but I would have to say that also applies to other ethnic groups," she said.
"For example, our Pacific and our Māori students some people would say it is not an equitable assessment for those students, particularly the numeracy one because you have to understand the literacy of the question before you can answer the mathematical challenge," she said.
Rongotai College principal Kevin Carter said he expected many schools would have a handful of senior students who needed to pass the tests.
He said he was happy with how his students went this year but the school would refine its approach next year to help more students get over the line.
"I think we'll be targeting a little bit more. We'll be spending more time on the sorts of literacy and the more open-ended, wordy type of questions," he said.
Raymond (left) and Michael Hsu. Photo: Supplied / Michael Hsu
Nine-year-old boy nails NCEA tests
A nine-year-old Porirua boy was among the students who passed the NCEA numeracy and reading tests this year.
Michael Hsu said his son, Raymond, was a regular Kiwi school boy though he almost certainly did more homework than most.
"He goes to school like every other kid, so we do our learning in our time at home but I should stress that it's not always learning at home," he said.
"He likes spending time with his friends, he's got his PlayStation and so on but I think what makes a difference is the empowerment, if you like, from the parents, not in an extremely stringent way but just to coach him, just to guide him, make sure that he's evaluated, he's assessed, he's up for tests and challenges."
Hsu said at the start of the year the family set the NCEA tests as a goal for Raymond because there were few other tests for New Zealand children to attempt.
He said his son didn't find the tests too challenging and finished them before many of the other students.
"The difficulty level of the tests, they are suitable for a young child in high years of primary school or starting college from our point of view," he said.
Hsu said he believed New Zealand primary school children were not tested often enough and they should have more opportunities to prepare for and enjoy tests.
"At age of 16 they should be prepared for these challenges," he said.