Porirua College's principal is doubling down on the school's decision to cancel NCEA literacy tests.

Students must pass the new online literacy and numeracy tests to receive their NCEA qualifications, but there are alternatives this year and the next year while the new curriculum is brought in.

Ragne Maxwell says half of all students countrywide are failing the tests - and they're overloaded.

"We are asked to put the students in for assessments when we feel they have a realistic chance of success. We don't think this is that."

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