Meanwhile NZQA announced UE, the minimum requirement for university entry, would be changed in 2014, requiring secondary school students to obtain NCEA level 3 with 60 credits or higher, NZQA deputy chief executive Bali Haque said.
Students currently need 42 credits at level 3 or higher.
"The new requirement, while not a radical change, does raise the bar for university entrance,'' Mr Haque said.
Students would also be required to achieve 14 credits in three approved subjects.
New UE requirements from 2014:
# Achievement of NCEA Level 3 (60 credits at level 3 or higher and 20 credits at level 2 or higher)
# Fourteen credits in each of three subjects from the list of approved subjects
# UE numeracy - 10 credits at level 1 or higher from specified achievement standards or three specific numeracy unit standards
# UE literacy - 10 credits (five in reading and five in writing) from specific level 2 and higher achievement standards
- NZPA