In NAPLAN test results released today Queensland’s schools were ranked sixth in the country.
The results indicate that the state’s children have improved but are still among the worst-performing in Australia.
Amy Schostakowski reports.
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TRANSCRIPT
Despite nearly $20 million dollars being invested in reforming the state’s education system, the NAPLAN results say Queensland is still the second lowest scoring state.
They’re performing below the national average, coming in sixth with Western Australia.
But the Education Minister says these results are very encouraging.
Geoff Wilson, Qld Education and Training Minister: “The difference between the states is just two per cent and within that two per cent Queensland is improving faster than any other state.”
The Opposition says the results aren’t good enough.
John-Paul Langbroek, Opposition Leader: “Queenslanders expect their children to be top of the class not most-improved.”
This year has seen an improvement in national minimum standards with Queensland improving in 18 out of 20 test areas.
Focus has been placed on the results of year three students, representing the first half of the intake of prep students from 2007.
The reading, writing and spelling results of year three students have declined from last year, with only 85.5 per cent achieving the national minimum standard for spelling.
The Minister says it’s too early to judge the impact a prep year makes on the education of children.
Geoff Wilson, Qld Education and Training Minister: “It takes a long time to make major changes in an education system.”
The tests have been plagued by controversy with 17 claims of teacher cheating, seven which have been substantiated.
Geoff Wilson, Qld Education and Training Minister: “I am totally opposed to any breach of the guidelines, it’s totally unacceptable and it’s totally self-defeating.”
The Minister says there’s no evidence that any of the breaches have affected the total results for those schools or for the state.
The Queensland Government admits that there is still a lot of work to do.
Amy Schostakowski, QUT News.