Mallard announces $78 million more for education

6.00pm - By PETER WILSON

The Government has announced $78 million of new spending on education over the next four years to support the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and the administration of other qualifications.

It includes about $7 million to help reduce exam fees for students from low- and middle-income families.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard made the pre-budget announcement and said that, after a year, results from the NCEA showed secondary teachers had been successful in making the new system work.

"The results have been welcomed by students, teachers, parents and employers as providing for the first time a comprehensive picture of students' educational achievement," he said.

"One of the lessons learned from last year was a need to simplify the way schools interact with the NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) to ensure the NCEA runs smoothly and effectively for everyone who is involved.

"Today's initiatives are aimed at providing better support for schools, teachers and students."

This is how the money will be spent:

* Nearly $36 million for the NZQA to administer assessments for secondary qualifications, including the NCEA;

* $15 million for software for school administration systems, including better management of NCEA data;

* Operational funding of $2.4 million to help schools with NCEA-related costs;

* $5.6 million next year to update the NZQA's information systems;

* An extra $11.63 million for NZQA's core functions; and

* $505,000 added to funding for NCEA professional development for teachers, bringing the total to $14.4 million.

The $7 million for exam fee remissions is for students whose parents or caregivers are beneficiaries or have incomes below the threshold for a community services card.

It will also apply to families with two or more children undertaking qualifications assessment in the same year, regardless of income.

The new fee schedule will be:

* A single processing fee of $35 for NCEA and the National Qualifications Framework, and $45 for University Bursaries for students whose parents or caregivers are beneficiaries, or who are on or below these income thresholds: $51,022 (six-person family), $45,952 (five-person family), $40,883 (four-person family), $35,815 (three-person family) and $30,748 (two-person family).

* Where two or more students from a family are entering for qualifications in 2003, the fee will be $100 per student, but no family will pay more than $200.

* For all other students, a flat fee of $150 will remain for the National Qualifications Framework, including NCEA and the Sixth Form Certificate (transitional) for more than 48 credits, and $75 for fewer than 48 credits.

* For university entrance, bursaries and scholarship, the fee will remain $45 (administration) and $28 for each subject.

Mr Mallard said one of the goals of the new NCEA qualification was to increase the numbers of students involved in assessments.

"We are committed to providing a flexible high quality system and it is important that fees are not a barrier for students from low to middle income families," he said.

- NZPA