Education expert fears new year 12 test may drive some students out of school

The literacy and numeracy skills of every Victorian year 12 student will be tested and recorded on their graduating certificate for the first time this year.

The change comes as part of a revamped General Achievement Test, which aims to give employers better insight into the basic literacy and numeracy skills of school leavers.

But former principal and education expert, Adam Voigt, fears it puts more stress on students and has the potential to even drive some out of education.

“I think it’s just another high stakes point in time test that’s likely to freak some students out, potentially impact their results in their exams at the end of the year and potentially will drive them out of education,” he told Ross and Russel.

Mr Voigt says the insight the test gives employers will also be negligible.

“High stakes point in time tests … can be so heavily affected by whether a kid is feeling crook, or whether a kid has had their boyfriend or girlfriend break up with them the day before, or a fight with mum over breakfast,” he said.

“I think this is adding stress to what’s already a stressful year and we just don’t need to do it to them.”

Mr Voigt also fears what will happen to students who fail literacy and numeracy tests at the very end of their educational journey.

“Even if you find out that a kid struggles with that, what do you do about it?  Do we just close of all opportunities to them?,” he said.

Press PLAY below to hear more about the reform and why Adam Voigt is concerned