NAPLAN tests boycott called off following deal

Striking a deal with the Australian Education Union (AEU) the Australian Education Minister Julia Gillard has finally managed to avert the ban on the National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests; promising the boycotting teachers, a forum on school league tables.
 
With just four days left to go for the tests, Gillard’s promise to AEU saved the day, allowing year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students to take the exam finally.

The AEU until now had been strictly against the tests. The union felt that the tests results were used by the Labour government’s My School website, to compare the academic scores and therefore, the performances of various schools in the country. The information on the website led to forming of opinions about these educational institutions and as per AEU, this was misleading information given to parents and students alike; and thus, the boycott.

The deal however, now seems to have changed the mind at AEU. The education minister’s deal has promised the AEU that a working party of educational experts, including AEU members, will be formed soon, and this party will be responsible for advising the government on the use of test results as well as other indicators of school performance.

Speaking about the deal, AEU federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said:

"What has been provided through this working party is a means by which to advance and address these serious educational concerns. We've never opposed the provision of information to parents, what we've been concerned about is the misuse of student data and the creation of damaging league tables."

He, however, did confess that the union was not unanimous in supporting the government with the NAPLAN tests. The NSW Teachers Federation was yet to cast its final vote over the matter.

The AEU’s decision to support the test was welcomed by Ms Gillard on the other hand who said:

"The tests will proceed next week as planned and now without any threat of disruption."

Federal secretary Chris Watt of the Independent Education Union of Australia also welcomed the decision. IEU members will be handing out the Tests on the given dates.