NCEA levels 1, 2, 3...

A neat congratulations to our eldest who received first New Zealand formal educational qualifications through NCEA level 1 with excellence endorsement as a 15 year old. I saw the hard work and was able to support late night efforts with encouragement to give it the best for time permitted.

I must say that having read the stat's on NZ high school qual's in being a lot of pressure at so young an age and for three years where as most OECD high schools have the last two years of secondary school exams as being the time for formal exams.

And having been within the educational system firstly as a 5 year old and now an educator, it's a concern that so many of our youth get left behind in a rigorous education system that takes no prisons and leaves anyone behind who doesn't conform to its rigors.

What does that mean you might ask? In our education system, young people quickly make choices in their first two years of schooling that already begins to narrow their options for later choice i.e. In year 10, second year of high school, they must make decisions as to what subjects they will be examined for in the following year/s in their 5 year stint in high school.

That means that as 13 - 14 year olds, they need to have a supportive environment both at school and at home to be able to support them into making the right choices according to their interests and abilities and schools need to be able to offer them those choices with good teachers who can teach those subjects well and a home environment that nurtures success.

It is no wonder that not all our youth have that synergetic support at school or at home and its really a balancing act to get that combination right in order for the child to succeed. I know it in my own home when things can get chaotic but we as parents/care givers need to put our best foot forward in order for our children to gain successes in their lives.

It's also a balancing act about teaching our cultural principles and values to our children through our own actions as opposed to a school system that values individualism, competition of the fittest/smartest and qual's as being the measurement worthy of mention.

We need to be there to support and help navigate our young people through these white waters/black waters rapids of education so that they don't 'tip' or get left behind on the banks or 'drown' in the fiery waters. We also need to be there to remind them about not being arrogant or conceited but to be reminded of our Pasifika values of humility, having empathy and supporting others where we can.

I congratulate our eldest and also many others who have succeeded in this season of their lives but am also reminded that this is the first of perhaps many years of study, or setting goals to pace oneself and to not be complacent, to remember that there is a spiritual realm that is very real and to set goals that will inevitable path the way to a healthy and a happy fulfilled future...