ACER eNews


Australian Certificate of Education ACER has been awarded a contract with the Australian government to investigate options for an Australian Certificate of Education. ACER was awarded the contract following a public tender process. ACER's chief executive Professor Geoff Masters will lead the research. During the project the existing arrangements for Senior Secondary Certificates of Education in each of the states and territories will be examined to asses their standards and appropriateness. Then a range of options for introducing a national secondary certificate will be analysed and assessed. The options to be considered include: • A national certificate as an alternative to the existing state-based final year certificates; • A national certificate which evolves from the existing state-based certificates; • A national certificate which is a general aptitude test similar to that used in the United States; and • A national certificate modelled on the International Baccalaureate. Finally ACER will propose the implementation steps for introducing an Australian Certificate of Education. Professor Masters stressed that ACER has been commissioned to conduct a research project and not to develop any of the suggested options for use in Australian schools. "At this stage ACER is conducting a piece of research in order to determine which of a range of options might be suitable for development as an Australian Certificate of Education," Professor Masters said. "No decisions have been made and we have not been commissioned to develop any particular option." He added that the options under consideration are not mutually exclusive. It is possible that a combination of these options will be identified as the most appropriate, or that other options will also be investigated. ACER will be consulting widely with key stakeholders throughout the research project. In examining each option for a national certificate, consideration will be given to what requirements students would need to fulfil, the rationale behind the requirements and how standards might be determined. How a national certificate would impact on and relate to the current arrangements in each state and territory will also be taken into account. The research is to be guided by an advisory group chaired by DEST. A report on the findings and recommendations will be delivered to the federal government by the end of the year. « Back to eNews
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ACER has been awarded a contract with the Australian government to investigate options for an Australian Certificate of Education. ACER was awarded the contract following a public tender process. ACER's chief executive Professor Geoff Masters will lead the research.

During the project the existing arrangements for Senior Secondary Certificates of Education in each of the states and territories will be examined to asses their standards and appropriateness. Then a range of options for introducing a national secondary certificate will be analysed and assessed. The options to be considered include:

• A national certificate as an alternative to the existing state-based final year certificates;

• A national certificate which evolves from the existing state-based certificates;

• A national certificate which is a general aptitude test similar to that used in the United States; and

• A national certificate modelled on the International Baccalaureate.

Finally ACER will propose the implementation steps for introducing an Australian Certificate of Education.

Professor Masters stressed that ACER has been commissioned to conduct a research project and not to develop any of the suggested options for use in Australian schools.

"At this stage ACER is conducting a piece of research in order to determine which of a range of options might be suitable for development as an Australian Certificate of Education," Professor Masters said. "No decisions have been made and we have not been commissioned to develop any particular option."

He added that the options under consideration are not mutually exclusive. It is possible that a combination of these options will be identified as the most appropriate, or that other options will also be investigated.

ACER will be consulting widely with key stakeholders throughout the research project. In examining each option for a national certificate, consideration will be given to what requirements students would need to fulfil, the rationale behind the requirements and how standards might be determined. How a national certificate would impact on and relate to the current arrangements in each state and territory will also be taken into account.

The research is to be guided by an advisory group chaired by DEST. A report on the findings and recommendations will be delivered to the federal government by the end of the year.