Misled students get top scholarships
March 30th, 2006 - Posted in Education, ScholarshipEducation chiefs have given $10,000-a-year scholarships to two students who were misled over the requirements for the top awards.
National’s education spokesman Bill English revealed yesterday that the Qualifications Authority made the awards last week after the two students complained that the requirements for NCEA premier scholarships had changed between November – when they sat the exams – and the time the prizes were awarded.
The original requirements, posted on the authority’s website, said pupils who achieved outstanding scholarships in three subjects would be awarded the premier category.
Mr English said the bungle was the latest in a string of problems with the NCEA scholarship, including revelations that a calculus exam was so hard that half the pupils who sat it scored less than 5 per cent. Had it not been for the students noticing the change in requirements they would not have been awarded the money.
Education Minister Steve Maharey confirmed the pair had been awarded premier scholarships but said it was because NZQA accepted it had not properly explained the requirements in November rather than their having been changed. “I am advised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority that it did not clearly explain that three outstanding scholarships was a minimum requirement.”
Source: stuff.co.nz