At the Deputy Premier’s request, the Department of Education Secretary Jenny Atta initiated an independent review into the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s (VCAA) examination-setting policies and processes for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), in response to issues arising from the 2023 examination series.
The independent review panel, led by Dr John Bennett AM, recently handed down its report.
The review found the VCAA had comprehensive policies, processes and procedures for developing, reviewing, distributing and administering external examinations.
It made 6 high-level recommendations for improvement:
Increasing the representation of suitably qualified academics on the Mathematics examination development panels.
Strengthening the examination-setting process and construction of the Mathematics examination papers to ensure they are of sufficient rigour and quality. This includes simplifying the development of examinations for the 3 Mathematics study designs by requiring multiple-choice questions in all examination papers to have 4 options instead of 5, to bring them into line with the examinations in all other VCE subjects and examinations conducted by other comparable Australian jurisdictions.
Strengthening the examination review processes for Mathematics and Chemistry.
Updating training and guidance for the in-house editors and desktop publishers involved in the Mathematics and Chemistry examinations.
Updating guidance for staff at examination centres to reduce the possibility that students could receive the incorrect examination paper.
Publishing examinations material in a timelier manner and updating its policies and processes relating to the management of errors and alleged errors.
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