❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Education about the readiness of WA public schools for online NAPLAN testing by 2017, given concerns about student computer skills and internet access. The Minister responds cautiously, indicating a phased approach with a sample in 2017 and potential full implementation in 2018, contingent on federal funding.
AnsweredQoN 1060Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
NATIONAL
ASSESSMENT PROGRAM — LITERACY AND NUMERACY — ONLINE TESTING
1060. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
Given that the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting
Authority review into online National Assessment Program — Literacy and
Numeracy testing called for the introduction to be delayed until students could
be taught basic computer skills, and that the former federal Minister for
Education and Training rejected that call, are Western Australian public
schools going to be ready to deliver the tests online within 18 months?
ASSESSMENT PROGRAM — LITERACY AND NUMERACY — ONLINE TESTING
1060. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
Given that the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting
Authority review into online National Assessment Program — Literacy and
Numeracy testing called for the introduction to be delayed until students could
be taught basic computer skills, and that the former federal Minister for
Education and Training rejected that call, are Western Australian public
schools going to be ready to deliver the tests online within 18 months?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question.
There is universal support for online NAPLAN testing. The
issue with the testing itself is the preparedness of all the jurisdictions,
being quite diverse—some jurisdictions are ready to go full throttle
and others are not. We are not, and I will not impose that on our schools at
this stage, until we are ready. At this stage, we are looking at doing a sample
of schools in 2017, with full implementation based upon the outcome of that
sample of schools. It is a big call. In Western Australia we have more
challenges with access to the internet than any other state. It would be
illogical and irresponsible of me to say that we could endorse comprehensive
online testing from 2017, when our schools are simply not ready. We will have a
look at the sample in 2017. Ideally, I would like to think that we will be
prepared to implement in 2018. Having said that, this is a requirement of the
federal government, and I would like to think that the federal government will
step up to the mark and provide some financial assistance for the
implementation.
There is universal support for online NAPLAN testing. The
issue with the testing itself is the preparedness of all the jurisdictions,
being quite diverse—some jurisdictions are ready to go full throttle
and others are not. We are not, and I will not impose that on our schools at
this stage, until we are ready. At this stage, we are looking at doing a sample
of schools in 2017, with full implementation based upon the outcome of that
sample of schools. It is a big call. In Western Australia we have more
challenges with access to the internet than any other state. It would be
illogical and irresponsible of me to say that we could endorse comprehensive
online testing from 2017, when our schools are simply not ready. We will have a
look at the sample in 2017. Ideally, I would like to think that we will be
prepared to implement in 2018. Having said that, this is a requirement of the
federal government, and I would like to think that the federal government will
step up to the mark and provide some financial assistance for the
implementation.
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