Review finds SACE has fallen behind modern technology, hobbled by inefficient administrative systems

THE agency that oversees Year 12 results has fallen far behind modern technology and is hobbled by inefficient administrative systems that are “strikingly paper-based”, a review has found.

THE agency that oversees Year 12 results has fallen far behind modern technology and is hobbled by inefficient administrative systems that are “strikingly paper-based”, an independent review has found.

The review says the SACE Board of SA is “heavily reliant on manual processing … with little realisation of the opportunities for electronic business”, despite its sensitive and data-heavy work being “fundamentally suited to high levels of computerisation”.

“As just one example, during a given year, over 180,000 sheets are scanned (including) 109,000 examination marks sheets,” the review report from consultant Executive Advisory Services says.

The review was produced last September and has been obtained by Opposition education spokesman David Pisoni under freedom of information laws.

It found the board’s IT use suffered from a lack of ongoing funding and a reliance on special-purpose grants that made long-term planning difficult and meant too many staff were on contract and short-term appointments.

As recently as 2011, there were fears Year 12 results might not be delivered “accurately and on time” because of IT failures, the report says.

Mr Pisoni said the review made a mockery of the Government’s calls to transform SA into a “smart economy”.

“The Weatherill Labor Government has left the SACE Board stuck in the last century, as the IT revolution passes it by,” Mr Pisoni said.

Education Minister Jennifer Rankine

“If our education system is not embracing the future, how can you expect industry to do so?”

The review says many information services projects were unfinished or not even started because of funding diversions including a “significant portion” of an $8.2 million grant from 2011-13.

The board referred inquiries to Education Minister Jennifer Rankine, who said the Government was injecting an extra $7.6 million into SACE over the five years to 2016/17, of which the review says $3.6 million is for IT.

Ms Rankine said a SACE “data warehouse” would be introduced next year “to tailor data and information for schools, to monitor trends and help identify further strategies for improving student outcomes”.

New systems to accommodate university entry changes from 2016 will also be finalised next year.

Schools were able to submit school assessment results electronically this year, while “mini sites for all SACE subjects” with crucial information for teachers were already implemented, Ms Rankine said.