Queensland Teachers’ Union predicts high number of NAPLAN withdrawals by parents

The future of NAPLAN testing in Queensland could be up in the air as fears grow over what it is really doing to student. CAST YOUR VOTE

Queensland Teachers’ Union is calling on the government to abolish NAPLAN tests because of the state’s high withdrawal rate, with fears similar rates will be experienced during the 2024 testing round.

QTU president Cresta Richardson said Queensland parents were making it clear they placed little value on NAPLAN as a way to judge their children’s educational progress.

“Since NAPLAN began in 2008, Queensland has had a high rate of parents choosing to withdraw their children from the annual testing in years 3, 5, 7 and 9,” Ms Richardson said.

Queensland Teachers’ Union president Cresta Richardson. Picture: Richard Walker

“This choice is being made to avoid the high levels of stress and anxiety experienced by students in this high-stakes but low-value testing model.

“Parents and carers are reminded that NAPLAN testing is voluntary, and they can withdraw their children from testing via their school.”

NAPLAN online testing runs from March 13-25.

Ms Richardson said the testing window also put heavy demands on schools’ ICT resources.

“The Queensland Department of Education must fully fund the equipment, upgrades, maintenance and support needed to conduct NAPLAN online, above schools’ existing budgets,” Ms Richardson said.

“This includes providing enough devices and sufficient bandwidth at every Queensland state school to ensure that other year levels’ ICT access is not compromised during NAPLAN testing.”