New National Qualification from 2028
Replacing NCEA with New National Qualifications
NCEA was introduced in 2002 as a flexible, inclusive, and standards-based senior secondary national qualification. It was designed to recognise the value in both academic and vocational pathways, with both internal assessments and external contributing to final grades.
NCEA offers a very wide range of assessment opportunities, including those leading to vocational pathways like trades, hospitality, and tourism.
The Government’s vision is for a new national qualification in New Zealand that will:
- Be consistent and credible nationwide
- Combine academic and vocational learning
- Assess students directly against the refreshed curriculum
- Prepare learners for work, apprenticeships, or further study
Many parts of NCEA are valuable, so the Government’s proposal will strengthen the good aspects while simplifying other areas. Feedback to the Government is that there are key parts of NCEA that should be retained:
- Judging achievement against set standards, not other students
- Recognising a wide range of subjects, including vocational pathways
- Allowing schools to tailor learning to different post-school goals
Key Proposed Changes from the Government
- Closer links with industry – Work with employers to ensure vocational education and training (VET) is relevant and valuable.
- New qualification structure:
- 2028: Foundational Award replaces NCEA Level 1
- 2029: New Zealand Certificate of Education (Year 12) replaces NCEA Level 2
- 2030: New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (Year 13) replaces NCEA Level 3
- Students must earn the Foundational Award plus passes in at least four subjects.
- Shifting focus to a structured and subject-based approach. Assessments will be organised by subject rather than standards. Students will take around five subjects, including required core areas (English and Mathematics) in Year 11. Each subject will have internal and external components scored out of 100, replacing the current “Achieved / Merit / Excellence” labels.
- Clearer achievement results – Total scores will determine endorsements (e.g. with distinction), making results more transparent for employers and universities.
Students, whānau, and teachers will need time to adjust to the curriculum changes before the new award and qualifications are introduced. The new award and qualifications will be phased in and sequenced in a way that does not disadvantage students:
- Students currently in Year 9 (2025) will complete NCEA Levels 2–3.
- Students currently in Year 8 (2025) will transition to the new curriculum and qualifications.
- Changes will be phased in carefully to give teachers and students time to adapt.
More Information
See the Ministry of Education’s document or contact us at Dio for details.
