NAPLAN Tests Cancelled Due To Coronavirus Threats

Education ministers around the country have announced that NAPLAN tests for 2020 will be cancelled due to Coronavirus threats.

The ministers from every state convened via a virtual meeting to discuss the status of the nationwide standardised tests, which are taken by years 3, 5, 7 and 9 and would be held between 12 – 22 May this year, as reported in the Daily Mail.

It was decided that the NAPLAN tests will not take place at all in 2020 and will resume next year.

“The decision not to proceed with NAPLAN has been taken to assist school leaders, teachers and support staff to focus on the wellbeing of students and continuity of education, including potential online and remote learning,” the ministers said in a statement.

“Further, the impact of responses to the COVID-19 virus may affect the delivery of NAPLAN testing, including the operation of centralised marking centres and the implications for nationally comparable data if an insufficient number of students are available to do the test.”

Thank You!

The ministers took the opportunity to thank teachers and support staff for “the essential work they do every day educating our children and young people, particularly during these challenging times”.

Schools Will Remain Open

They education representatives also re-emphasised Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s call to not close schools at this time.

“Education departments and systems will continue to closely monitor health advice and work with schools to ensure appropriate support for students and staff as the response to COVID-19 develops,” they said.

Do you think it’s a wise idea to cancel NAPLAN? Tell us in the comments below.

40 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 23 Aug 2023
    11:26 am
Many people would have been happy about this.

- - mom268263 said
  - 31 Oct 2020
    2:55 pm
When all is said and done Naplan adds a lot of stress and not sure it benefits students more than schools.

- - bramblehedge said
  - 06 Jun 2020
    3:16 am
Yes, it’s a wise move and they should cancel Naplan altogether. An article a few years back made the point that Naplan was dumb, not the students. It proves nothing when some schools have been caught cheating, some even encouraging parents to keep their children home on Naplan day because they thought those students wouldn’t perform well — how damaging is that for those students? And as for students who sit the test, they’re put under a lot of pressure.

- - mom450498 said
  - 31 May 2020
    11:22 am
This isn’t a huge deal. NAPLAN only really confirmed what the child’s teacher probably knows about their literacy and numeracy levels.

- - DaffyD said
  - 27 Apr 2020
    2:25 pm
There’s a silver lining my daughter gets so worked up over it to have that stress taken away is wonderful

- - Cookfromscratchmum said
  - 25 Apr 2020
    7:33 pm
I definitely think it’s a great idea to cancel NAPLAN due to the corona virus pandemic health/safety comes first

- - snazzy007 said
  - 19 Apr 2020
    8:57 pm
Uncertainty is present in all walks of lives these days

- - mom185490 said
  - 11 Apr 2020
    12:44 pm
I agree that considering this school year has been far from normal and concessions like this are beneficial to the children. Everyone is under enough stress and then adding keeping to the strict teaching for all parents whether working or not is very hard.

- - rnash02 said
  - 04 Apr 2020
    11:55 pm
Yes and no

- - mom462038 said
  - 04 Apr 2020
    9:36 am
The introduction of NAPLAN testing has long been controversial. I don’t see the problem with it. What’s wrong with knowing how well, or not, your kids are doing at school? My kids did them and they didn’t stress the slightest about it. Maybe other parents are creating the stress by placing too much focus on them

- - Kasey said
  - 24 Mar 2020
    12:29 pm
Yes, it’s a silly thing anyway. So much stress put on kids just so schools can compare, a relief really!

- - mom160421 said
  - 24 Mar 2020
    11:42 am
Not a big deal really.

- - rovermum said
  - 23 Mar 2020
    9:50 am
Absolutely. Noone will be at school so will not be a true reflection. I don’t imagine too many will be upset.

- - MisChip said
  - 23 Mar 2020
    12:26 am
I don’t think anyone is upset by this news

- - natct said
  - 22 Mar 2020
    9:27 pm
My kids knew it was just a test to see if the teachers were teaching properly so their not fussed.

- - BellaB said
  - 22 Mar 2020
    6:56 pm
I’m not a fan of NAPLAN, so I’m not bothered by this.

- - Carli85 said
  - 22 Mar 2020
    5:03 pm
Fantastic decision!

- - rachel1970 said
  - 22 Mar 2020
    2:33 pm
My eldest daughter is devastated that NAPLAN is cancelled. She was looking forward to doing her last one! (she’s weird, I know!!)

- - rachelvk said
  - 22 Mar 2020
    1:23 pm
These are strange and unprecedented times in which we live. Our teachers have been so incredible through all of this and continue to teach and care for our kids through this tough time. NAPLAN is the least of anyone’s worries right now.

- - Ellen said
  - 22 Mar 2020
    9:04 am
Good to cancel it, NAPLAN isn’t important anyway 😉