About 140 students from nine Queensland high schools were affected by a curriculum error that saw them study the wrong Roman emperor for their year 12 ancient history external exam. The students prepared for an exam on Augustus, but were tested on Julius Caesar instead.
One affected student, who spoke to Guardian Australia after completing the exam on Wednesday, described the situation as 'really disruptive'. The student, who wished to remain anonymous, said their class had studied Augustus but sat an exam on Julius Caesar. 'We've had journalists outside our school all day,' they added.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek expressed his displeasure, calling the mistake 'extremely traumatic' for students and parents. He assured that the 75% of the course mark already assessed would be 'scaled up' to prevent disadvantage. However, he could not clarify the details of Wednesday's exam or whether it would be considered null and void.
Langbroek has ordered an investigation into how the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) communicated syllabus changes. The affected schools include Brisbane State High School, Flagstone Community College, and seven others stretching from Cairns to Brisbane.
