NAPLAN tests resume after ‘widespread’ tech issue

NAPLAN testing has resumed after widespread connection issues on Wednesday morning, which prevented primary and high school students’ from starting the online national assessment.

In a statement shared on Facebook, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) said it was aware of “widespread issues affecting students being able to log onto the online platform to complete NAPLAN assessments”.

By 11.30am, an ACARA spokesperson advised that testing had resumed and apologised to schools and students for the disruption, thanking them for their patience.

“The issue has now been resolved, and schools have been informed they can resume testing,” they said.

“We continue to monitor the platform to ensure students are able to complete their assessments without further issues.”

Previously, ACARA had said the issue was being urgently investigated by Education Services Australia, the technology provider that runs the testing platform.

“Schools have been advised to pause testing while this is being investigated.”

The annual NAPLAN assessments began this morning, with about 1.4 million students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 expected to take the tests at more than 9400 schools and campuses across Australia.

Speaking at a budget estimates hearing after the technology issues had come to light, NSW Education Minister Prue Car told students and schools “not to panic”, acknowledging “something has gone very wrong” with the platform responsible for hosting the exam.

“There is a window of opportunity to do the NAPLAN testing until Monday, the 23rd of March,” she said.

“This is a nationwide problem in relation to some technical difficulties with the Commonwealth platform ... obviously something has gone very wrong there … that’s down.”

NAPLAN began trialling online exams in 2018 before moving the tests completely online in 2022. The move faced criticism from some academics who said children from low-income groups were disproportionately disadvantaged by online testing.

Asked by the budget estimate hearing’s chair, Greens MLC Abigail Boyd, “at what point” NSW should look at returning to paper tests, NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) chief executive Paul Martin said the online NAPLAN test has been “largely successful”, though there had been two issues last year.

“I couldn’t possibly comment on going back to pen and paper testing,” said Martin.

“Today’s events indicate that there was clearly another problem.”

On its website, NESA, which is responsible for administering the exam in NSW, said: “ACARA has reported some schools are experiencing slowness in the platform. ACARA is investigating.”

Before testing resumed, NESA had advised schools to finish their current tests, if able, but not to start new tests.

NSW Teachers Federation Deputy President Natasha Watt described the situation as “very unfortunate”.

“NAPLAN already generates unnecessary and unproductive stress and anxiety for thousands of students and parents across the state,” she said.

“It’s very unfortunate to see that stress aggravated today.”

Rosebank College in Sydney’s inner west emailed parents on Wednesday morning advising the year 9 NAPLAN writing test was cancelled due to “significant technical issues affecting numerous schools across NSW”.

“We have also been informed that the year 7 NAPLAN writing test, scheduled for later today may be impacted,” the school said.

As children across the nation started the exams this week, ACARA chief executive Stephen Gniel asked parents not to put pressure on youngsters to perform.

Gniel said he was aware some non-government schools and select-entry government schools in other states – where competition for places was greatest – were using the test results as part of enrolment applications.

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