There's little appetite by principal chiefs to reduce credit requirements for high school qualifications

Kaipara College principal Steve McCracken has suggested NCEA level one be abandoned this year and level two and three credit requirements be reduced by 20.

But Secondary Principals Association president Deidre Shea says some high schools don't have level one - and there is enough flexibility in the system to make changes.

She says we can learn from Christchurch schools that coped during the earthquakes.