Rafy
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- 2008
Testing times: school certificate faces axe
By Linda Doherty Education Editor
The School Certificate is under threat from a national testing regime under which a new exam will be introduced for year 9 students within two years.
The Minister for Education, Carmel Tebbutt, said the School Certificate - and all other NSW tests - would be examined by Professor George Cooney, an education expert from Macquarie University, who was selected this week to conduct a state assessment review.
NSW's School Certificate is the only year 10 external exam in Australia. The year 9 national test from 2007 would result in students being examined in year 9 and then again in year 10.
"We are rightly proud of our state-based testing regime but clearly there's an issue for our students in that we don't want to overload them with tests," Ms Tebbutt said. "So if there [are] going to be national tests we need to work out how we can best get the fit between the two."
As Australia moves towards a nationally consistent curriculum and testing program, Ms Tebbutt said NSW had to assess how its tests would interact with common exams for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
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The Australian Council for Educational Research is also preparing for the Federal Government four options for an Australian Certificate of Education as a future exit qualification for year 12 students.
Ms Tebbutt said the School Certificate was a credential well regarded by employers and parents. One option was to keep the year 10 exam and cordon it off from the national testing system, which would mean two exams in two years. "There is an equally valid concern [that] we don't want to over-test our students. I'm having a careful look at that issue."
The NSW Catholic Education Commission has suggested the national year 9 test could replace the School Certificate, because the NSW Education Act does not specify which year the English, mathematics, science, history and geography exams must be sat.
The Secondary Principals Council has called for the School Certificate to be axed and for the mandatory teaching hours in years 9 and 10 to be reviewed.
"We've got to rethink why we need testing," said Chris Bonnor, the council president. "The main reason for testing is to improve and inform learning and provide assurance to parents … about standards, but you can do that without having testing every year."
Professor Cooney, a professor of education at Macquarie University, said NSW had a first-class testing program. "It was one of the first states to put literacy and numeracy skills testing onto a regular school agenda."
The federal Minister for Education, Brendan Nelson, preferred a nationally consistent curriculum to a national curriculum in which all students took the same lessons. Philosophers Socrates and Glaucon had tackled the conundrum that "if you insist that all students learn the same thing in all parts of the country then you will stifle innovation and lateral thinking".
COMING SOON
- New year 9 national tests from 2007.
- A common school starting age in every state by 2010.
- A year 12 Australian Certificate of Education.
By Linda Doherty Education Editor
The School Certificate is under threat from a national testing regime under which a new exam will be introduced for year 9 students within two years.
The Minister for Education, Carmel Tebbutt, said the School Certificate - and all other NSW tests - would be examined by Professor George Cooney, an education expert from Macquarie University, who was selected this week to conduct a state assessment review.
NSW's School Certificate is the only year 10 external exam in Australia. The year 9 national test from 2007 would result in students being examined in year 9 and then again in year 10.
"We are rightly proud of our state-based testing regime but clearly there's an issue for our students in that we don't want to overload them with tests," Ms Tebbutt said. "So if there [are] going to be national tests we need to work out how we can best get the fit between the two."
As Australia moves towards a nationally consistent curriculum and testing program, Ms Tebbutt said NSW had to assess how its tests would interact with common exams for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
AdvertisementAdvertisement
The Australian Council for Educational Research is also preparing for the Federal Government four options for an Australian Certificate of Education as a future exit qualification for year 12 students.
Ms Tebbutt said the School Certificate was a credential well regarded by employers and parents. One option was to keep the year 10 exam and cordon it off from the national testing system, which would mean two exams in two years. "There is an equally valid concern [that] we don't want to over-test our students. I'm having a careful look at that issue."
The NSW Catholic Education Commission has suggested the national year 9 test could replace the School Certificate, because the NSW Education Act does not specify which year the English, mathematics, science, history and geography exams must be sat.
The Secondary Principals Council has called for the School Certificate to be axed and for the mandatory teaching hours in years 9 and 10 to be reviewed.
"We've got to rethink why we need testing," said Chris Bonnor, the council president. "The main reason for testing is to improve and inform learning and provide assurance to parents … about standards, but you can do that without having testing every year."
Professor Cooney, a professor of education at Macquarie University, said NSW had a first-class testing program. "It was one of the first states to put literacy and numeracy skills testing onto a regular school agenda."
The federal Minister for Education, Brendan Nelson, preferred a nationally consistent curriculum to a national curriculum in which all students took the same lessons. Philosophers Socrates and Glaucon had tackled the conundrum that "if you insist that all students learn the same thing in all parts of the country then you will stifle innovation and lateral thinking".
COMING SOON
- New year 9 national tests from 2007.
- A common school starting age in every state by 2010.
- A year 12 Australian Certificate of Education.
, i failed my geo trial lol.. 47%~~ but my teacher congratulated me for it??