New Zealand's Qualifications Authority has okayed the use of "text-speak" - the mobile phone text message language - in national exams this year. The "text-speak" which has found its prevalence among most teenagers uses abbreviations such as "txt" for "text", "lol" for "laughing out loud" or "lots of love," and "CU" for "see you."

The authority said that although it strongly discourages students from using anything other than full English, but that credit will be given if the answer "clearly shows the required understanding," even if it contains text-speak.

Post Primary Teachers' Association President Debbie Te Whaiti told the AP that the authority's move reflects the classroom situation, but stressed that wide acceptability of text slang in classroom could raise concerns among teachers.

The critics have also criticized the authority's move saying that it would damage the English language.