NCEA questions attacked as ideologically loaded

Questions in an NCEA economics exam critical of free-market policies have been labelled as disturbing, ideologically loaded and inappropriate.

Two questions in Monday's level three economics exam have angered free-market exponents and educationists, parents and students who believe school education should be taught objectively, rather than based on ideologies.

In one question students were asked to explain why the New Zealand Government providing free education at state secondary schools resulted in better resource allocation than the free market model. And in another question, students were asked to explain why free market policies caused income inequality.

Brent Lewis, principal at Avondale College, said exam questions should never start from such an ideological position.

He said if the questions asked students to argue the statements or had put the proposition in quote marks and asked the students to discuss the view, it would have been acceptable.

"But this is stating belief as fact. The values and thinking of the people who wrote the exam have become very transparent, or if they are not their values and opinions, it has been very poorly phrased."

Mr Lewis said the questions stated simplistic statement as facts and were heavily ideologically laden.

"I believe it is highly inappropriate."

Mr Lewis said it was important exam papers did not contain ideological, value-based material.

"When you state a belief or an ideological position as fact it is crossing the line, because then it depends on whether your teacher shares that ideology and has emphasised that material.

"That's dangerous territory."

Business Roundtable executive director Roger Kerr said the questions were a disgrace and misleading.

"These are very controversial issues and I think educators should be at real pains to be objective and careful about them.

"Here you have someone [the exam writer] who is viewing the issue through some very ideological spectacles."

However, the Qualifications Authority said the questions were valid and had been part of the curriculum for 15 years.

Education adviser Steve Rees, who taught economics for 20 years, agreed with the authority saying such questions had been in bursary exams (the qualification which NCEA level three replaced) for a number of years.

He said they were not designed to be ideologically biased, and said those criticising them were trying to find hidden agendas in NCEA.

The topics of free market economics and government intervention were always discussed in the classroom, he said.

Act party education spokeswoman Deborah Coddington said she had been contacted by a number of parents, teachers and principals who were disturbed by the questions, which negated free-thought in students.

Ms Coddington labelled the questions brainwashing.

"It's way past time we overhauled our examination system."