Reviews of qualifications

Purpose of reviews

Qualifications exist to meet the needs of learners and the broader New Zealand society and economy. Qualifications need to be reviewed periodically to ensure they remain useful, relevant and fit for purpose.

An initial round of reviews of levels 1-6 qualifications will focus on reducing the duplication and proliferation of qualifications. The aim is to ensure the system is easy to understand, particularly for learners and employers. The reviews are expected to take three to four years to complete and will take place between 2011 and 2014.

The initial reviews will look at qualifications in groups to ensure they meet the overall needs of any particular sector. The reviews will also ensure that all qualifications are aligned with the new rules for listing qualifications on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF).

Qualifications will then be reviewed at least five-yearly to ensure they remain fit for purpose. Qualifications in sectors where there is rapid change, such as information technology or digital media, may need to be reviewed more frequently than those sectors where the pace of change is slower.

A Qualifications Review Schedule will be published annually.

Key points

• Reviews aim to reduce duplication and proliferation of qualifications.
• Reviews aim to ensure that the range of qualifications, and associated further educational or employment opportunities, are easy to understand for learners and employers.
• NZQA will work with qualification developers and providers to ensure groups or clusters of qualifications being reviewed are appropriate, comprehensive and a good fit with overarching sector objectives.
• Proposed timeframes for reviews will be posted by NZQA on the Qualifications Review Schedule and confirmed with relevant qualification developers.
• NZQA’s role is to maintain oversight of the review process and its outcomes. NZQA also provides support for qualification developers to understand and meet the new requirements for listing qualification at levels 1-6 on the NZQF.