A report by research fellow at the New Zealand Initiative, Dr James Kierstead, has found that the number of 'A' grades awarded at New Zealand universities has risen 64 percent since 2006. While 'A' grades have surged, 'B' grades have fallen from 47% to 38%, and C grades have dropped from 20% to 17%.
At the University of Auckland, nearly half of all marks awarded during the COVID-19 period were 'A' grades, part of what Dr Kierstead describes as a dramatic rise in top marks, that cannot be explained by improvements in student performance.
New Zealand now appears to be following American trends, where A grades became the most common mark in the late 1990s. This contrasts with the UK, where increases in top grades have been more evenly spread across classification levels.
Experts warn that when too many students receive top marks, employers struggle to identify genuine high achievers, and students who do excel see their accomplishments devalued. Grade inflation can also reduce the incentive to work hard, as high grades begin to feel guaranteed.
