Ashburton Courier: June 09, 2022

NEWS
16 Ashburton Courier, June 9, 2022
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
NCEA feedback, mixed so far
TONI.WILLIAMS
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Ashburton College has received mixed
feedback so far on whethertoretain
NCEA Level 1from 2024, or not.
The college has been consultingwith
the community and despite low turnout to
meetings last week at the college and at
Hakatere Maraehad receivedplenty of
feedback for and against.
Somesee the levelaspreparation for
those sitting NCEALevel 2atYear 12, and
others as unnecessarily settingstudents
up for burnout by the timethey reach
NCEA Level 3atYear 13.
Ashburton College principal Ross
Preecesaid NCEA Level 1­usually sat by
Year 11 students ­had been aroundsince
2003 when it replaced schoolcertificate.
Its continuationhad been in the spotlight
as part of discussions around NCEAover
the past three years.
Upcoming changes, which take place
from 2024, willsee NCEALevel 1optional
for schools.
‘‘It’s aquite dramaticchange,’’ Mr
Preecesaid, of the future around NCEA.
He said New Zealand was one of few
countries to have threeyears of high
stakes assessments at high school level.
New innovation teaching models
focusedoncreativity, collaboration,
problem­solvingand the ability to be
effective oral communicators but
different sets of skills were necessary.
Although students still needed to be
literate, numerate and have core
knowledge, he said.
The upcomingchanges meant anumber
of schools were now considering whether
Ashburton College principle Ross Preece is leading community consultations.
to do away withLevel 1, and some had
already done so including Lincoln High
School (three years ago) Ellesmere
College (two years ago) and ChristCollege
(this year).
The changes were to strengthenthe
qualification,make NCEA more
accessible,strengthen literacy and
numeracy requirements, enhance the
placeofMaori knowledge, have fewer,
larger standards with half being
externally assessed and simplify NCEA’s
structure.
And show clearerpathways to further
education and employment, Mr Preece
said.
If NECA Level 1was dropped it would
create time for deeperlearning and allow
students to studyupfor amore
meaningful pathway in Level 2and
beyond. Year 11 would still be assessed
but not necessaryfor NCEA credits. There
would be anational foundationstudies
certificate.
The consultation has included people
from within the school community, former
alumni and the business community. A
confidential surveywas due to be emailed
out to the school community for further
feedback.
IN BRIEF
BOWELSCREENING
The bowel screeningage for Māori
and Pasifika people will be lowered
from 60 to 50 years old starting in
2023 and has been welcomed by
Bowel Cancer New Zealand. It will be
launched in selected regions this year
and extended nationally from July
2023. Bowel Cancer NZ medical
advisor Professor Sue Crengle saidit
will helpfix long-standing inequities
because,compared to non-Māori,a
greater percentageofbowelcancers
occur before the age of 60 for these
ethnicities. “A worrying number of
Māori and Pasifika people present
with advanced stage 3or4cancer,
significantly lowering their chances of
long-term survival -screening will
help detect cancersearlier.
CREATIVEFUNDS
Eight applicants have been given
funding fromthe Creative
Communities Grant Scheme totalling
$14,667.Funds were shared by Arts
Canterbury Inc ($500), Ashburton
Writers’ Group ($390), CanInspire
($2087), EA Networks ($2300), JMS
Developments ($5000plus another
$5000 location dependent), Kristen
Dunne ($740), Rakuto Kurano
($1650) and the Staveley campsite
committee ($2000).
The JMS Developments funding is
for amural to be completed in the
Triangle area of Ashburton and a
possible secondmural.
Atotal of $35,105.00 was available
for distribution and the merits of each
application were discussed by afund
assessmentcommittee.
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