NIC Strategies

The Tertiary Education Strategy sets out the government’s long-term direction for tertiary education. The strategy highlights the need for building international relationships for contributing to relevant skills, research and life outcomes. It focusses on ensuring New Zealand has an engaged tertiary education system, building out from strong connections with community, industry and global economies.

The Ministry of Education released an International Education Strategy in 2018 to support international education to thrive and provide economic, social and cultural wellbeing benefits for all New Zealand.

Ka Hikitia- Ka Hāpaitia, the Māori Education Strategy: Ka Hikitia is a cross agency strategy for the education sector. It sets out how government agencies and providers work together to advance the aspirations of Māori learners and their whānau, hapū and iwi (translated in English this equates to families, sub-tribes and extended kinship/tribes).

The Action Plan for Pacific Education maps the Government’s commitment to transforming outcomes for Pacific learners and families and signals how early learning services, schools and tertiary providers can achieve change for Pacific learners and their families.

Strategic Recovery Plan for International Education: In 2020 The Minister of Education announced a $51.6 million investment International Education Recovery Plan and funding to help reset New Zealand’s education sector. This is a long-term plan to support the rebuild, recovery and reset of the international education sector. It consists of three work-streams: the immediate response is to create sector stability, the second strengthens the international education system and the third focusses on transforming New Zealand’s international education approach for a more innovative, robust and sustainable future.

Response to COVID-19 disruptions: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted learning, teaching and assessment in many countries. In 2020 the New Zealand Qualifications Authority granted temporary approval to non-university education providers to deliver programmes online to current international students who are unable to return to New Zealand to continue their studies as a result of travel restrictions and border closures.

Tertiary education institutions planning to deliver offshore on a permanent basis i.e. to new international students are required to apply for permanent approval under the NZQA Offshore Delivery Rules.

Changes to the NCEA in 2020:  Due to COVID-19 disruptions, secondary school students can earn additional NCEA credits during the 2020 school year, based on the credits they achieve through assessment. These are called Learning Recognition Credits. To gain NCEA Certificate Endorsement in 2020, students need 46 credits at Merit or Excellence levels, instead of the usual 50 credits.

In addition, 2020 NCEA exam dates, and submission dates for portfolio-based subjects, were moved to later in the year to provide students with more time for learning and preparation.

University Entrance credit requirements were also changed – students need 12 credits in three approved subjects, NCEA Level 3 and literacy and numeracy requirements to be awarded University Entrance.

 

Projects

Reviewing the NZQF: NZQA is currently reviewing the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) to ensure it is fit for purpose and adapts to the future needs of learners, employers, iwi (extended kinship/tribe) and community.

Reform of Vocational Education: In 2020 legislative changes through the Education and Training Act 2020 took place to create a unified and cohesive vocational education and training system delivering skills that learners, employers and communities need to thrive. The changes are being implemented through a multi-year programme of reform to fully establish industry-governed Workforce Development Councils responsible for vocational skills leadership; and a unified, sustainable network of vocational education and training delivered by the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology.

NZQA’s role in implementing the Reform of Vocational Education will be to update the Rules and aligned quality assurance operations for the new Workforce Development Councils and New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology.