NZQF timeline 1980s-2008

The following timeline shows how the NZQF has evolved.

1980s

The political, economic and social reforms highlighted the need for significant changes to the education sector, which was increasingly characterised by:

• a lack of comparability in educational programmes
• confusion around naming and classification
• the recognition of the skill and education levels needed to compete effectively in an international marketplace.

There was also a shift in attitude from "one qualification for life" to "a common system of credit gained over a lifetime of learning".

Between 1990 and 1991

NZQA consulted on the development of a national qualifications framework that would include all qualifications. In doing so, NZQA fulfilled its statutory mandate (under section 253(1)(c)(i)-(ii) of the Education Act 1989). The outcome of this consultation was overwhelming support for a single, unified system. Subsequently, the National Qualifications Framework was introduced in November 1991.

1994

the Tertiary Lead Group was tasked with incorporating degrees into the National Qualifications Framework. Comprising representatives from NZQA, the Ministry of Education, New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and tertiary education organisations, the group:

• recommended that all qualifications be combined into a single framework
• proposed mechanisms for registration onto this framework at both National and provider level. The mechanisms included learning outcomes and objectives, credits and levels.

The National Qualifications Framework was based on "units of learning", a term that evolved into "unit standards" with a standard format and a National catalogue. This shift to unit standards was seen as a key change to the existing qualifications system and aimed to increase the responsiveness of the education system to industry needs by focusing less on inputs and more on learner competencies.

NZQA maintained a record of learning for all learners in a central computer database. Classifications were replaced by three terms for registration on the framework: National Certificate, National Diploma, and National Degree. The record of learning has since been changed to the Record of Achievement.

The New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee (NZVCC) was concerned about the standards-based approach of the National Qualifications Framework. Consequently, the NZVCC withdrew its support for the National Qualifications Framework in 1996 before development was complete.

Originally, the National Qualifications Framework had eight levels of achievement:

• Levels 1-4 (extended to level 7 in March 1995) - the National Certificate
• Levels 5-7 - the National Diploma
• Level 7 - Bachelor's Degree
• Level 8 - advanced degrees and all postgraduate qualifications.

2001

The National Qualifications Framework was:

• extended to ten levels as part of the development of the criteria for the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications (the Register).
• further developed to allow the registration of "achievement standards" for school subjects and the subsequent introduction of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in 2002.

The NZQA Board agreed to the policy framework and qualification definitions for the Register, which was fully implemented by 2006. The comprehensive listing of qualifications on the Register aimed to provide learners and the public with information on qualifications, from which to make comparisons. The inception of the Register also accommodated degrees without requiring them to be in a unit standard format, by allowing providers to register a qualification that was not standards based. The National Qualifications Framework then became a subset within the Register, while sharing the same levels and qualification descriptors as the wider Register.

May 2004

NZQA undertook a Register Compliance project to ensure that all standards and qualifications listed on the Register were reviewed against the Register’s criteria. The process was complex and involved more than 400 providers and 2,500 qualifications. During the process, it was found that in many cases, provider-developed qualifications were in fact National qualifications. For this and other reasons, more than 500 qualifications were removed from the Register.

The outcome was that any qualifications not compliant with the Register criteria by 1 August 2006 were removed. This deadline was extended until December 2006, because of to the influx of information.

At this time, all qualifications were listed on the Register. In addition, National qualifications were registered on the National Qualifications Framework. There were also a number of principles, purposes and characteristics for the different types of qualifications on the Register (National, New Zealand and provider-developed). These differences had driven the development of similar qualifications that, despite being in large numbers, did not meet the needs of learners or employers.

During 2008 and 2009

NZQA led a targeted review of the qualifications system, focussing on certificates and diplomas at levels 1-6. The purpose of the review was to identify whether there were better ways to ensure qualifications met the current and future requirements of learners, industry and other stakeholders. Enhancing the relevance and timeliness of education and training supply is also one way of improving the acquisition of new skills and addressing skill shortages in the economy.

The review found that learners struggled to find their way through the qualifications system and employers could not always be confident that potential employees had the skills and knowledge they required. The review recommended seven changes to strengthen and unify the New Zealand qualifications system. A key activity for implementing these changes was to establish the NZQF.