A new era for senior school education

Students in Queensland will benefit from new assessment and tertiary education systems under proposals unveiled by the Newman LNP Government today.

Education, Training and Employment Minister John-Paul Langbroek said reform was long overdue to better reflect the opportunities open to today’s school-leavers.

“When it comes to education, the Newman LNP Government is determined to give Queensland students every opportunity to get a great job and enjoy a bright future,” Mr Langbroek said.

“The OP system has served Queensland well since its introduction in 1992, but it is becoming less relevant as education evolves.

“It’s a 20-year-old system that should have been reviewed by Labor after 10 years – but wasn’t.

“Last year we commissioned an independent review of the Queensland system by the Australian Council for Educational Research – including extensive consultation with teachers, universities, parent associations and unions.

“The Newman LNP Government wants Queensland to be a world leader in education and to achieve this we must have a modern tertiary entrance system.”

The Australian Council for Educational Research made 23 recommendations and the Queensland Government published its response to the review today.

“Our draft response supports key recommendations of the review, which include moving away from the Overall Position tertiary entrance rank and the Queensland Core Skills Test,” Mr Langbroek said.

“The proposals also suggest that results in each senior subject should come from three school-based assessments plus one external assessment.

“The external assessment would be common to all schools and developed and marked by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority.”

Mr Langbroek said the new proposals would also enable universities, through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre, to derive an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank – an ATAR – from senior subject results.

“Universities taking responsibility for the whole tertiary entrance process would allow the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority to focus on its core curriculum, testing and certification functions,” he said.

He said the public were invited to share their views on these important matters through an online survey or by making written submissions.

Mr Langbroek said changes would be not be introduced before 2017 for students entering Year 11.

This would enable students and families to plan senior pathways, while ensuring that schools and teachers were fully prepared for the new arrangements.

The independent review was led by Professor Geoff Masters and Doctor Gabrielle Matters.

“There was a general acceptance in the community of the need for a review and it was heartening to see the spirited way in which people put forward their views,” Dr Matters said.

“Thousands of stakeholders and interested parties were involved in the review process.”

Dr Matters said the review also considered procedures in other countries and Australian states.

The government’s proposed response and the online survey can be accessed at http://deta.qld.gov.au/about/government-responses/senior-assessment-review.html

Consultation will continue until 31 March 2015, with the government final response to be tabled by mid-2015.

Fact sheet and Draft Government Response attached. 

[ENDS] 29 December 2014

Media contact: Danita Goodwin 0439 886 652