Explainer | New Zealand’s Proposed Overhaul Of The Secondary Qualification System

Written by Seth Quinlivan-Potts

Since the turn of the century, New Zealand’s secondary qualification system has been in a state of continuous evolution. Debate over the balance between academic rigour and equity has been persistent (Gerritsen, 2025; Amos, 2025). The current proposal to replace the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) with the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) marks the latest swing of New Zealand’s educational pendulum.

Prior to 2002, the qualification system was dominated by the School Certificate and Bursary, which were largely norms-referenced and relied heavily on high-stakes, end-of-year examinations (NZQA, 2024; Trenwith 2025). This model was criticised for effectively rationing success and failing to recognise vocational or non-traditional academic excellence (Alison, 2008; PPTA, 2025). The introduction of NCEA in 2002 sought to address these flaws by shifting to a standards-based system, where any student demonstrating the requisite knowledge attained the qualification. The proportion of students leaving school with a qualification subsequently increased and a broader range of subjects and assessment methods were integrated, making education more inclusive and flexible (NZQA, 2024).

However, NCEA eventually became a target for criticism. The system was reviewed in 2018 and 2022, culminating in the current proposed overhaul. Critics argued that the qualification’s excessive flexibility and fragmented credit system fostered a culture of credit counting, whereby students strategically chose the easiest path rather than engaging deeply with a subject's curriculum (Universities NZ, 2025). Furthermore, data revealing that barely half of teenagers could pass the core NCEA literacy and numeracy tests highlighted a widespread deficiency in foundational skills (Gerritsen, 2024), compounded by a loss of employer and parental trust in the qualification (Deerness, 2025; Ensor, 2025). The government concluded that NCEA was not consistent and can be hard to navigate, ultimately failing to deliver the essential skills needed for post-school pathways (Luxon and Stanford, 2025).

The proposed replacement seeks to impose a framework that can deliver such skills. However, the reforms have sparked considerable concern. Some educators fear the proposed system is an over-correction that risks sacrificing the inclusivity and flexibility NCEA was designed to enhance (Trenwith, 2025). The NZCE for Year 12 and NZACE for Year 13 will require students to enrol in five full subjects and pass at least four to gain the qualification. This requirement may deter students from attempting new or difficult subjects for fear of jeopardising their certificate. A Cabinet paper highlighted that these changes would likely disproportionately affect attainment rates in Māori, Pacific, and neurodivergent students (Stanford, 2025). 

Finally, while the Government's proposal is now available for public review, the six-week consultation window is viewed by many in the education sector, particularly the PPTA (New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association / Te Wehengarua), as insufficient for a thorough evaluation (PPTA, 2025). The profession's exclusion from the proposal's initial drafting has also eroded confidence that their concerns and requirements for successful implementation will be given adequate weight during the process (PPTA, 2025). The PPTA’s overarching position is clear; NCEA is not perfect but evolution will produce the most settled environment and the best outcomes for New Zealand’s learners, not a rushed overhaul devoid of real consultation (PPTA, 2025). While the rigour and achievement in New Zealand’s secondary education system should be increased, we must first have a strong foundation. Swinging the education pendulum again risks disrupting our already shaky foundation.

In conclusion, the proposed shift from NCEA to the NZCE/NZACE model reflects a desire to reinforce academic rigour and clarity. Yet, the challenge for policymakers and educators is substantial, tasked with successfully implementing a qualification that restores confidence without reintroducing the barriers and pressure that NCEA was created to dismantle. The outcome of this transition will determine whether New Zealand can truly balance high standards with equitable access to success for all students.

References:

Alison, Judie. “The NCEA and How We Got There: The Role of PPTA in School Qualifications Reform 1980-2002.” Teachers’ Work, vol. 5, no. 2, 1 Oct. 2008, pp. 119–138, https://doi.org/10.24135/teacherswork.v5i2.501.

Amos, Claire. Opinion: Rethinking NCEA - What We Need from a National Assessment Framework That Serves ALL Learners. Aotearoa Educators Collective’s Substack, 21 July 2025, aecnz.substack.com/p/opinion-rethinking-ncea-what-we-need. Accessed 29 Sept. 2025.

Deerness, Stuart. “How Influential NZ Schools Hastened the Demise of NCEA.” RNZ, 8 Aug. 2025, www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/569416/how-influential-nz-schools-hastened-the-demise-of-ncea.

Ensor, Jamie. “NCEA Changes: What Led to Government’s Radical Overhaul, Why We Shouldn’t Be Shocked – Jamie Ensor.” NZ Herald, The New Zealand Herald, 4 Aug. 2025, www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/ncea-changes-what-led-to-governments-radical-overhaul-why-we-shouldnt-be-shocked-jamie-ensor/RDXBEUX7WJD2XOLHMYJAK2KNNU/.

Gerritsen, John. “45 Percent of NCEA Students Fail This Year’s Online Literacy, Numeracy Tests.” RNZ, 5 Dec. 2024, www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/535821/45-percent-of-ncea-students-fail-this-year-s-online-literacy-numeracy-tests.

Gerritsen, John. “Principals Divided as NCEA Consultation Closes.” RNZ, 14 Sept. 2025, www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/573049/principals-divided-as-ncea-consultation-closes.

Luxon, Christopher, and Erica Stanford. “Replacing NCEA to Transform Secondary Education.” Govt.nz, 2025, www.beehive.govt.nz/release/replacing-ncea-transform-secondary-education.

New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association / Te Wehengarua. “NCEA Replacement Proposals - Some Analysis & Considerations.” Ppta.org.nz, 2025, www.ppta.org.nz/news-and-media/ncea-replacement-proposals.  

New Zealand Qualifications Authority. “History of NCEA:NZQA.” Www2.Nzqa.govt.nz, www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/about-ncea/history-of-ncea/.

Stanford, Erica. Public Consultation on Proposal to Replace NCEA. Office of the Minister of Education, 26 Aug. 2025.

Trenwith, Brooke. “NCEA Overhaul: Demolition or Sympathetic Renovation?” Potentialtoperformance.co.nz, 2025. potentialtoperformance.co.nz/post/ncea-overhaul.

Universities New Zealand. Response to Proposal to Replace NCEA with New National Qualifications | Universities New Zealand - Te Pōkai Tara. 2025, www.universitiesnz.ac.nz/latest-news-and-publications/response-proposal-replace-ncea-new-national-qualifications.