Pass rates for NCEA literacy and numeracy tests among students from disadvantaged schools in New Zealand are significantly lower than those from more affluent schools, according to NZQA data. In May, schools with high socio-economic barriers reported pass rates of only 35% in reading and writing, and 20% in numeracy. In contrast, schools with fewer barriers achieved 71% in reading and 55% in writing. More than 50,000 students took the tests, with over 30,000 from schools facing moderate barriers. Students are required to pass all three tests or complete alternative NCEA standards to qualify for NCEA. Concerns have been raised that the new literacy and numeracy requirements may lead to more students leaving school without qualifications; last year, 16% of school leavers did not achieve at least NCEA level 1.
