IEU Officers Mark Northam, Amy Cotton and Pat Devery were recently invited to an historic meeting hosted by the NSW Teachers Federation, where Dr Les Perelman delivered his paper on the fundamental issues and alternative future of NAPLAN.
In essence, Dr Perelman identified that NAPLAN, as a mechanism for evaluating writing proficiency, is a deeply flawed instrument, a position long held by many of the teaching profession.
When Minister Gillard ushered in the test some 10 years ago she declared it was for schools to use internally as a diagnostic tool. We now see the test being used to construct league tables, create undue stress on students and teachers and an industry which has become something of a cash cow for multinational education companies.
The days of NAPLAN in its current format are clearly numbered as teacher unions, parent, professional and employer groups and politicians alike have finally brought some long overdue scrutiny on this expensive and not fit for purpose test.