Link between NAPLAN and HSC must go
The IEU calls on NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes to rethink the link between NAPLAN results and the awarding of the Higher School Certificate (HSC).
“We all know that Rob Stokes inherited this from his predecessor Adrian Piccoli, but it is his responsibility now and he should distance himself from it,” IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary John Quessy said.
The Union argues that not only is the imposed link between NAPLAN and the HSC unpopular with parents, students, teachers and principals, but it does nothing to improve literacy or numeracy in students.
“If we have a problem with functional literacy or numeracy in this state it should be addressed through the curriculum, not through testing,” Quessy said.
“The NSW HSC has a reputation as a high-quality school exit credential nationally and internationally, and denying it to students on the basis of an artificial benchmark will hurt the very kids we encourage to stay at school for Years 11 and 12.
“Teachers want their HSC students to concentrate on their HSC studies, not be looking backwards to Year 9 NAPLAN,” he said.
“Many students who don’t meet the NAPLAN benchmark have the potential to achieve high ATARS and get into university.
“The students who will be most disadvantaged by the imposed NAPLAN/HSC link are those not seeking further study at university. That is, those students who work for two years at school doing Stage 6 studies but are then denied an HSC.
“The current situation is a sure-fire way to make the HSC irrelevant and we encourage the minister to rethink the imposed link between NAPLAN results and the awarding of the HSC.”