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About 150 vulnerable teenagers have won a reprieve from an NCEA rule that disadvantaged them.
The students attended health schools for hospitalised and very ill students where they completed literacy and numeracy unit standards not offered by regular schools
The rule in question prevented the students from counting the standards toward their NCEA qualification if they returned to a regular secondary school - instead they would have to start again using the standards used by those schools.
A woman who contacted RNZ about the problem recently said it was devastating to discover her daughter's hard work while attending the Central Regional Health School would be wasted when she returned.
This week the Education Ministry told RNZ it had made a temporary exception for health school students.
It said it had not made any broad policy change regarding co-requisite requirements because the standards in question, known as the 266 series, were designed for students in full-time alternative education.
"However, following recent clarifications, a one-off exception has been made for health school students who have already completed or are currently completing 266 series standards in 2024 and 2025," it said.
"This step has been taken to make sure these students are not disadvantaged due to their unique circumstances and the timing of the clarification.
"These students' achievements will be recognised for co-requisite purposes, even if they return to mainstream schooling."
The ministry said the decision affected about 60 health school students who completed the standards last year and about 90 students who worked on them this year.
It said from next year health school students dual-enrolled with regular schools would need to meet co-requisite requirements through the route used by regular schools - either approved achievement standards or online tests.
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