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The Ministry of Education has proposed dropping several subjects from NCEA level 1 in order to make it a foundation qualification with fewer achievement standards covering a broader range of content.
For science that means dropping physics, chemistry, biology and earth and space science from level 1 and retaining just science and agricultural and horticultural science.
Latin would be dropped from all levels of NCEA, classics would be dropped at level 1 in favour of a single history subject, and accounting, economics and business studies would be replaced by a single subject called Commerce.
Secondary Chemistry Teachers of New Zealand co-chairman, Ian Torrie, said members' reaction to the plan was strong.
"It is very strong language, very strongly opposed to the proposals," he said, adding that about 96 per cent of feedback to the association was against the plans.
Torrie said the proposal would leave science with just four level 1 achievement standards covering the ideas that underpin the subject, but not specific knowledge about subjects like physics and chemistry.
Even schools that currently taught general science at level 1 offered achievement standards in chemistry and physics and the ministry should change its proposal to include them, he said.
The four proposed standards were also focused on reports, which many students would not enjoy, Torrie said.
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