Exam peek on blank pages
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Thousands of VCE students have inadvertently received a sneak peek at their final exams.
The accidental release of Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) exam content by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has drawn significant backlash.
The VCAA admitted this week that questions resembling those on the actual exams were “inadvertently included” in online sample guides.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described the incident as “frustrating” for students, parents, and teachers, adding that it undermines the hard work Year 12 students invest to prepare for final exams.
The issue came to light after students discovered that text on seemingly blank sections of sample materials could be revealed by pasting the sections into a Word document.
These unintentional “cheat sheets” were found for eight subjects, including business management and legal studies.
Education Minister Ben Carroll has acknowledged the issue, describing it as “not acceptable”, and promised to investigate the VCAA’s exam processes.
The VCAA Chief Executive Kylie White explained on 3AW Radio that the materials had been removed from the internet in October, prior to the start of exams, once VCAA became aware of the error.
White assured that while there were “similarities” between the leaked questions and actual exams, these were not identical questions, maintaining that “the VCE examinations haven’t been compromised”.
However, many parents, educators, and students remain concerned that this incident may have given some students an unfair advantage.
The state’s LNP opposition is pushing for an independent review into the authority's practices.
Last year’s review, which was prompted by errors in multiple exams, recommended the inclusion of more qualified professionals on exam review panels, a recommendation the government says is in progress.
VCAA’s reassurances have done little to quell the uproar, with Carroll stating he would seek further accountability from the authority, saying; “It’s still not acceptable human error, and I will get to the bottom of this”.
