The pandemic has put a big dent in the number of NCEA credits schools have reported to the Qualifications Authority.
The authority says schools have logged twenty percent fewer results than at the same time last year because they have deferred or cancelled assessments.
Principals expect the gap will close as schools send in more data and some say their students have already caught up on last year's rates of achievement.
Here's RNZ education correspondent, John Gerritsen.
