Would more school exams actually help Australian students learn?
A research centre affiliated with the National Party proposed more national exams, but studies suggest additional testing doesn't automatically improve learning.
Australia already has NAPLAN tests in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, checking reading, writing, maths and language. Some students also sit national science and digital literacy assessments.
The Page Research Centre now wants more exams in Years 6, 10 and 12, claiming higher grades don't match steady or declining international test results. But research is mixed.
Classroom quizzes help students practise recall, yet major exams tied to rewards or penalties show at most small gains. A bigger risk: when tests focus on isolated facts, teachers narrow their teaching to match the exam, rather than broadening learning.
Tests shape what gets taught, not just what gets measured. The real question is what new information extra exams would provide and whether they would push schools toward test prep instead of deeper learning.
- Years 3, 5, 7, 9
- Current NAPLAN years
- 16 across four years
- Tests per student
- Years 6, 10, 12
- Proposed new exam years
- Page Research Centre
- Proposing organisation
Why it mattersHow Australia tests its students shapes what schools prioritise and what kids actually learn, so the design of tests matters more than the number.
AustraliaAustralian parents and teachers will face this debate as the government weighs whether more exams would genuinely boost their children's learning or just add stress.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
