[Greens-Media] Elite private schools exploiting HSC special provisions

[John Kaye]

Elite private schools exploiting HSC special provisions 

Media release: 29 December 2008

The proportion of students receiving special assistance in their HSC examination at twenty five of the state's wealthiest private schools was more than twice the state average for public schools, according to data released by the Greens.

Commenting on a story in today's Sydney Morning Herald ('Private schools accused of rorting HSC'), Greens NSW MP John Kaye said: "Special exam provisions are an important mechanism to remove some of the barriers faced by HSC students with special needs. 

"However data we obtained from questions on notice show that the number of wealthy private schools that are potentially rorting the system is increasing.

"It is hard to believe that the proportion of HSC students genuinely deserving special provisions at twenty five of the state's wealthiest private schools is more than twice the state wide average for public schools.

"Almost a quarter of Scots College's 160 HSC candidates received a special deal in this year's HSC, which cannot be explained as a statistical anomaly.

"Public school teachers have been watching the growth in unfair competition for some time. They have been asking why so many students from elite private institutions get such a good deal. 

"HSC students looking at their results have every right to ask if they were being cheated by the elite institutions' abuse of the special provisions system.

"Education Minister Verity Firth has inherited a growing problem of special provisions abuse. The Board of Studies has clearly failed to close the loophole and it is time the Minister stepped in and demanded a solution.

"After the 2007 anomoly was exposed earlier this year, the Iemma government failed to solve the problem. Now the ball is in Verity Firth's court.

"The least the Minister could do institute a system of random spot audits with penalties for deliberately misleading information.

"All HSC students deserve a level playing field, regardless of the school they attend," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: 	John Kaye 0407 195 455