2017-04-20
The Australian Greens are calling on the NAPLAN testing model to be reviewed following the latest flaw, a failed online roll-out, and reports that testing causes anxiety among students.
“NAPLAN is seriously flawed and cannot continue in its current format. We knew the flaws in the NAPLAN online system when it was announced two years ago and it is unsurprising to see that it has been abandoned by the states – the only thing it would achieve is giving those better-off schools a leg-up in testing rather than actually aiding an improvement in learning outcomes in the classroom,” Greens education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“Forcing children to cram for tests after returning from school holidays and increasing the pressure on teachers is not a healthy learning environment. It’s no surprise that high school students experience anxiety over exams when they’re put through regimented testing and ranking in primary school.
“Children need the chance to be creative in their learning and teachers need to be better resourced to foster positive classroom environments. This form of cookie-cutter testing, which has stumbled and been met with scrutiny since its inception, has shown more than anything that tests don’t teach.
“The Turnbull Government must drop their plans to cut billions of dollars from schools funding over the coming years and take a serious look at NAPLAN with the goal to return the focus to educating, rather than ranking, our students and pitting schools against each other.”