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The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is the New Zealand government department tasked with providing national and international leadership in assessment and qualifications. The NZQA quality assure secondary and tertiary qualifications and education providers, evaluate overseas qualifications and administer the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications and the National Qualifications Framework, including the NCEA and the New Zealand Scholarship.
It was established as an amalgam in July 1990 of the former Universities Entrance Board (the old University of New Zealand Entrance Board, responsible for the NZ University Entrance and Entrance Scholarship awards), the Department of Education examination board (responsible for the School Certificate), the Trades Certification Board and the Authority for Advanced Vocational Awards.
Due to the introduction of the NCEA some schools have been moving to the English General Certificate of Secondary Education and the "A"-level General Certificate of Education administered by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.