New Zealand Qualifications Authority
| Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa | |
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1989 |
| Jurisdiction | New Zealand government |
| Headquarters | Level 13 125 The Terrace Wellington New Zealand |
| Employees | 365 (2007) |
| Annual budget | NZD ~$70 million |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent agency | Ministry of Education |
| Website | www.nzqa.govt.nz |
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA, Māori: Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa) is the New Zealand government crown entity tasked with providing leadership in assessment and qualifications. It was established by the Education Act 1989.
NZQA administers the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEAs) and the New Zealand Scholarship for secondary school students. It is also responsible for the quality assurance of non-university, tertiary training providers, the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications, and the National Qualifications Framework. It has further roles in evaluating overseas qualifications.
It is a "Crown Entity" established under the section 248 of the Education Act 1989. In July 1990 it took over the work of the former Universities Entrance Board, the Ministry of Education's examinations, the Trades Certification Board and the Authority for Advanced Vocational Awards.
NZQA is funded from the central government as well as fees, with the budget being about $70 million each year.
In 2005 the Authority's Chairman and CEO resigned after an investigation by the State Services Commission into the 2004 New Zealand Scholarship exams. In the physics exams only 39 out of 1,012 students who sat the exam received a scholarship while in English the result was 228 out of 587. This, and the state of the Authority as a whole at that time, was described by media as a "debacle".
A new Chief Executive (Dr Karen Poutasi) and Board Chair (Sue Suckling) were appointed in 2006 and remain in place in 2014.
Dr Karen Poutasi has previously been the Director General of Health and worked in senior management roles across the health sector. Board Chair Sue Suckling is a governance specialist and heads a Board appointed by the Minister of Education that represents industry, communication and education interests.
A Targeted Review of Qualifications at levels 1-6 on New Zealand’s ten-level qualifications framework commenced in 2008. The review aimed to ensure that New Zealand qualifications are useful and relevant to current and future learners, employers and other stakeholders. NZQA administers the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) which was established in July 2010 as a result of the Targeted Review and is a comprehensive, up-to-date list of all non-university quality assured qualifications in New Zealand.
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