Media Centre

Political bias in the HSC?

Posted on:Friday, 20th October 2006

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release Friday 20 October 2006
Political bias in the HSC?

Contrary to recent media reports, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has reached no conclusions about political bias in the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) chief executive Professor Geoff Masters said today.

It was claimed in a 19 October newspaper article that an ACER ‘report’ had concluded that there was no political bias in the HSC.

However, Professor Geoff Masters said that there was no report and that there had been no ‘findings’ of a study currently underway for the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training.

“Somebody appears to have obtained a copy of a questionnaire that is being used as part of this study, but no conclusions about the presence or absence of political bias can be drawn from that questionnaire,” Professor Masters said.

The study, which is examining the content, curriculum and standards of senior school subjects across Australia in English, mathematics, physics, chemistry and Australian History, will report later this year.

Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop announced the study in May following the release of a report on options for a single Australian Certificate Education.

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