[Greens-Media] School NAPLAN raids contaminate test results

[John Kaye]

School NAPLAN raids contaminate test results
 
Media Release: 6 May 2010
 
By approving raids on scores of public schools to seize their NAPLAN test papers, NSW Education Minister Verity Firth has sacrificed the integrity of the test results, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye. (SMH, 6 May 2010, p.1, http://bit.ly/smh100506)
 
Dr Kaye said: "The minister's panic has resulted in an unprecedented breach of faith between schools and the department that is supposed to support them.
 
"This will take years to heal.
 
"Not since the days of former Greiner government Minister Terry Metherell has there been such an attack on teacher professionalism and the right of principals to run their schools.
 
"The Minister's actions mean that the test can no longer be conducted on the same day for all students. 
 
"It is inevitable that questions will leak.
 
"In Julia Gillard's absurd and meaningless 'my school' competition, agreeing to run the test has been turned into a substantial disadvantage.
 
"Verity Firth has unintentionally rewarded schools that have placed a moratorium on the test.
 
"Whatever results emerge will irrationally discriminate against schools that administer NAPLAN themselves.
 
"It is not too late to begin negotiations with teachers and their union.
 
"The Minister could step back from the brink by working with her federal colleague to end the publication of simplistic comparisons," Dr Kaye said. 
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455 
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000