Consonant Examinations

Posted on Sunday 12th of November 2006 10:33:28 PM by Maximinus

As you've quite possibly heard, NZQA, that same bunch of idiots who remarked an exam paper for free (worth $50 or so) and took over 6 months to correct a minor error in my results, amongst other things, have recently approved so-called "txt spk" for use in NCEA exams (excluding ones where English skills are deemed important, such as English exams).  That's right - you can now gain your secondary school qualifications in New Zealand without using any vowels. (Okay, so you'd still have to in English - but you only need that at Level 1.)

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: New Zealand only ever seems to make it into the international spotlight for stupidity.  This is no exception, with even the exceptional Illiad of UserFriendly having a go at it.

The way I see it, about the only way this whole farce could have eventuated is a conversation amongst NZQA cronies along these lines:
Head Honcho: "Students's exam grades are falling.  What can we do to raise exam marks?"
Cronie 1: "It seems to me that marks are falling partially because their English skills are so appaling."
Cronie 2: "I've got it - allow the horrible, senseless butchering of the language known as 'txt spk' and general poor English to be used in exams!  That way it won't get in the way of the marks!"
Head Honcho: "BRAVO! Let's do it!"

Anyway, as I'm sure you can figure out for yourself, this whole thing is a step in the wrong direction.  If the level of language skills is falling amongst secondary school students, teach them better.  Don't make the crap they spurt out in lieu of real English acceptable; that only encourages the decline of the English language.