GAT postponed again; Pfizer push for VCE students, Victorian teachers

VCE students are in limbo after a crucial test was rescheduled yet again in the midst of the latest Covid lockdown.

The General Achievement Test (GAT) for Year 12 students will be rescheduled yet again in light of Melbourne’s sixth lockdown.

It comes as Victoria announced 20 new cases on Tuesday.

The test had already been moved once and was to be held this Thursday, August 12.

Education Minister James Merlino has not revealed when the new date will be. It is expected to be announced in coming days to ensure the rescheduled test can go ahead – presumably so students can sit it on campus.

If students are in quarantine, or are a positive case, or at schools deemed to be exposure sites, they will receive an exemption from sitting the GAT. Special consideration processes will ensure they are not disadvantaged.

The GAT has been postponed once again. Picture: Nicole Cleary/File Image

The minister has already announced special consideration will be available on a case-by-case basis, as well as the Consideration of Educational Disadvantage process offered by the VCAA. This will allow for students’ individual circumstances to be taken into account.

Mr Merlino said: “Victorian students have done an amazing job adapting to another year of disruptions – but we can’t risk another outbreak in a school, so we’re rescheduling the GAT to keep every school community across Victoria safe.

“Whether it’s special consideration for every student in year 12, or extra mental health and tutoring support in schools, we want any student who is struggling to know that we’re here to support them all the way.”

One senior educator expressed his dismay at the decision. “The kids could have come in and done the GAT safely and gone home again,” he said. “This leaves them in limbo not knowing what’s going on. It is very frustrating and very disappointing.”

Schools have also been forced to put off school assessment SACs because of the difficulty of authenticating the results of tests done at home.

Exams are due to start on October 29.

PUSH FOR VCE JABS

Calls are mounting for the Pfizer vaccination to be fast-tracked for VCE students and teachers at all schools, not just those at Al-Taqwa College.

Concerns are growing over the wellbeing of unvaccinated VCE students locked out of school campuses eight weeks ahead of exams.

Seven schools are now closed due to the latest outbreak and online classes resume this week for around a million students.

On Sunday Education Minister James Merlino promised to “give students the certainty they need in their final year of VCE and VCAL”.

But he has still not clarified plans for the General Aptitude Test (GAT) which is due to take place on Thursday — the last day of lockdown.

“We’ll have more to say in the coming days on plans for this year’s GAT, and ongoing processes for school-based assessment tasks (SACs),” he told the Herald Sun.

The lack of direction is causing great frustration, with many schools hesitant to conduct online SACs because of the difficulty of authenticating results and the stress on students.

VCE students and teachers should be next in line for Pfizer, an education leader said.

Tina King, acting president of the Australian Principal’s Federation Victorian Branch, said she did not want “year 12 to become divided between vaccinated and unvaccinated schools”.

“Vaccination should be available across the board for all year 12s and staff to help them get through as much content as possible face-to-face,” she said.

“It’s not that Al-Taqwa shouldn’t get it, but that there should be consideration for all.”

The Pfizer vaccine is only available for Al-Taqwa College students over 16, staff and household contacts for “for public health reasons,” a spokesman for the Department of Health said.

On Monday the state government opened nine vaccination sites for 18–39-year-olds to get the Astra Zeneca vaccine.

Teachers continue to call for VCE students to come back to campus to sit their SACs and the GAT and for exam content to be modified or reduced.

In May when the lockdown was extended, year 11 and 12s were allowed to return to campus.

Stuart Johnston, principal at Peninsula Grammar School, said VCE students require “consistency and reassurance” and “timely and clear advice”. He also called for universities to consider early entry pathways.

Al-Taqwa College should be among all Victorian students vaccinated against Covid. Picture: David Crosling

Emily Frawley, a VCE teacher and president of the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English, said some students were “struggling to move from their bed to their desk” during remote learning.

Marco Di Cesare, principal of Marcellin College, said the pandemic had “exposed the weaknesses in our current assessment model and it highlights the need for a review of our current university driven model”.

“We will be working hard to keep our students as engaged and connected to their learning and each other,” he said. “We are experienced and we are more confident in our approach to our home learning program.

“Students in Victoria have done a tremendous job in pivoting in and out of lockdowns and it shows a real resilience in this current group.”

Federal Education Minister Alan said he “really feels for the year 12s and what they have to endure”.

“Just to keep going and do your best,” he said.

Mr Merlino said students had access to the Consideration of Educational Disadvantage process as well as other existing special provisions.