Disappointment with NZQA after major disruptions for Year 11 students sitting an online exam.

More than 20,000 tried to sit the NCEA Level 1 English exam today.

But the system buckled under the pressure after about 18-thousand pupils had logged on - and access was cut.

Avonside College Principal, Catherine Laws told Heather du Plessis-Allan a number of students were distressed.

She says those with special assessment conditions already have barriers to communicating what they want to say, so it was really tough for them.

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