Damning VCAA review: The dysfunction and fear within the Victorian exam authority
Seven chief executives in five years and a ‘culture of fear’ have crippled the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, a scathing review has found – and meaningful reform is years away.
Years of neglect, “atrophied” organisational practices and an absent workplace culture have led to serious mistakes and poor behaviour at the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, an independent review has found.
The second part of the root-and-branch review into the state’s trouble-plagued exam authority, released on Monday, has revealed the “significant organisational turbulence” occurring behind closed doors at the VCAA.
The review was ordered in the wake of last year’s VCE exam scandal, first revealed by the Herald Sun.
The body responsible for what Victorian students learn at school and compiling Year 12 exams has been accused of lacking the “foundational structures, governance, processes, technology and capabilities that are commonplace in modern organisations”.
It’s also been slammed for its poor workplace culture, not taking accountability and instead shifting blame, with many of its issues – such as last years VCE exam leaks and errors in the 2023 specialist maths exams – traced back to VCAA’s “origins of poor management”.
Independent reviewer Yehudi Blacher said such issues have manifested over five years, consequently contributing to “very poor workplace practices” and avoidable mistakes, which have had repercussions on students and teachers.
As a result, 11 additional recommendations were put forward on Monday to restore public trust in the VCAA and its organisational processes.
However the report warned it could take up to three years for such reforms to be delivered, meaning Victorian students and their families will be waiting until 2028 to see any real change.
Despite discussions to merge the organisation’s curriculum and assessment functions with the Department of Education, Dr Blacher advised the VCAA to be retained as a statutory authority with a strengthened governing board and a reset of the committees that make it up.
It was also recommended that structural changes be implemented to strengthen accountability.
“The organisation has seen seven substantive and acting CEOs over the past 5 years, only one of whom oversaw more than one full examination cycle,” the report said.
“The destabilising effect of changes in senior management and successive publicly scrutinised issues with examination processes during that period have accelerated a deterioration of morale and acceptable behaviour within parts of the VCAA.”
Other recommendations included establishing a sustainable VCAA budget, streamlining operating policies and processes, continuing to strengthen exam processes, improving technology used within the authority and resetting relationships with external stakeholders and schools.
It was also advised an independent monitor – who was brought in following last year’s VCE exam leak bungle – continues to oversee the VCAA for a further 12 months or until Education Minister Ben Carroll is satisfied the VCAA “has the systems and processes to undertake its functions effectively”.
He announced on Monday afternoon the government would accept all 11 recommendations made in the second stage of the review.
Mr Carroll said steps had already been taken to strengthen the VCAA board, with its new members having strong experience in education, governance, finance, law, and human resources.
The VCAA’s new chief Andrew Smith will oversee the implementation of the report’s recommendations, while prioritising the delivery of the 2025 Year 12 VCE exams, with the English exam to be held on October 28.
As for the eight recommendations made in stage one of the review, they’re on track to be delivered for this year’s exams.
The report also looked at the culture among staff, which was regarded as “concerning”.
“Consistent feedback across a range of settings is that the VCAA operates under a culture of blame and, sometimes, tolerance for poor behaviour,” it said.
“Concerningly, in a small number of units, there also appears to be a culture of fear. Staff in these areas are concerned not only about being blamed but about being the subject of sustained criticism or the target of retribution.
“It is disappointing that successive leadership groups have created the authorising environment that has allowed poor behaviour to become the accepted standard.”
Dr Blacher warned if changes weren’t implemented, there was a risk that further challenges would arise.
“The focus was always on what needed to be done, with little questioning of how or why. This balance needs to change, or the risk of further challenges will continue,” he said.
The recommendations come after earlier advice was issued in part one of the report in April, which led to the axing of the VCAA board and appointing former Education Services Australia chief executive Andrew Smith as the new VCAA boss from June 1.
Opposition spokeswoman for education Jess Wilson said the report “lays bare the scale of Labor’s failure on the VCE”.
“For five years, Labor has ignored warnings, overseen repeated blunders and left students to pay the price,” she said.
“Students preparing for their final exams should be focused on their studies, not worrying about whether the paper in front of them is riddled with errors or leaked online.
“Instead of acting decisively, the Education Minister, Ben Carroll, has lurched from crisis to crisis – sacking boards, blaming staff and scrambling for short-term fixes, while refusing to confront the deep cultural and governance failures identified in this report – and previous reports.”
“It is unacceptable that today’s report warns it will take at least three years before the VCAA is fit for purpose. That means tens of thousands of Victorian students will sit their VCE exams knowing Labor’s failures still hang over them.”
Asked how students can be sure they won’t be impacted by the VCAA’s incompetence while the three year reform period takes place, Mr Smith said changes “will begin immediately”.
“We’ve already begun, and everybody in the community will see improvements through our organisation from now going forward,” he said.
“That’s why we have confidence in the 2025 exams because of the work that’s already been done to rebuild those foundations.”
Mr Carroll stressed that unlike the Bennett review published before last year’s exam leak, the recommendations from the new report will drive effective change because of its “root and branch approach”.
“The Bennett review very much looked at expert subject matter,” he said.
“Dr Blacher has been through the VCAA with a fine tooth comb and that is why we now have two reports brought in, and it’s why we are implementing his recommendations.”
Mr Carroll also said the Authority’s new leadership and board were “more advanced now then they’ve ever been”.
“An independent monitor will also remain in place in 2026 to ensure the integrity of the 2026 examinations as well,” he said.
