The Australian Education Union Federal Executive today voted unanimously to impose an immediate moratorium on the national NAPLAN tests.

AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos said the decision means the national tests will not go ahead in May unless the Federal Government addresses the concerns of the profession about the misuse of student data to name and shame schools.

“Teachers cannot hand out the tests until something is done to stop the results being used to publicly brand students and schools as failures in league tables,” he said.

“That is damaging for students and school communities.

“No other test, student assessment or report will be affected by this decision.

“The primary concern of teachers is the fact that nothing has been done to stop test data being taken from the My School website to create damaging league tables in which schools are ranked on test results alone.

“We also have serious concerns that the NAPLAN results are being used on the My School website in a way that is misleading for parents.

Mr Gavrielatos said it was disappointing that the Federal Government had so far rejected the AEU’s plan to stop league tables and improve the My School website so it would provide more accurate and comprehensive information to parents.

“Parents, teachers and principals have all called for the Federal Government to stop the test data being used to name and shame schools and students but it has been unwilling to act,” he said.

“The opportunity exists for Ms Gillard to meet with the profession to resolve these serious concerns.”