NCEA results both here and over the hill
By Tim O?Connell
The overall figures are yet to be finalised, but our local schools are getting positive returns from their students? exam results so far. Just weeks after finishing their respective examinations, high school students in the Wellington region were returning to school last week all the wiser in regards to their next academic move for 2009 and beyond. Marked NCEA level one, two and three papers have been filtering back to 140,000 secondary school students nationwide in the last fortnight. Initial results have made for pleasing reading with one fifth of candidates gaining NCEA receiving endorsement with merit, and between four and five per cent of candidates passing with excellence across all levels. While NZQA will release the official statistics for this year?s national exam results in April, Deputy Chief Executive Bali Haque has already alluded the results will be consistent with last year?s efforts. With the 2009 school year now underway for schools in the Hutt Valley, many will be now sharing their successes with peers, as well as looking to build on it in the months ahead. The Petone Herald was unsuccessful in contacting a representative of Hutt Valley High School for their comments before going to press last week. Over the hill at Newlands College the results have been received favourably by students and staff alike. While scholarship results had yet to be released to candidates by NZQA until mid February, Deputy Principal Deb Mills said that overall results from Newlands students had provided plenty for the school to be proud of. ?Certainly, we?re very pleased with what students have achieved with their NCEA results. ?I?m sure that celebrations will continue once they return to school- and we are planning to acknowledge them.?
