SACE Examinations

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:00): My question is to the Minister for Education, Training and Skills. When did the minister become aware that students were able to use a writing assistance app in their SACE English exam, and will he now take steps to stop it in the future?

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills) (15:00): I thank the member for Morialta for his question. Precisely when I was alerted to the fact that students in their SACE exams had access to what is referred to as Grammarly, which I understand is an app embedded into a website which gives students who are using that website access to things like spellchecking and grammar checking and things like that, I will have to come back to the member on precisely when I heard that access had first been allowed to that app.

But I can say now that both the Acting Chief Executive of SACE, Michaela Bensley, and the Chief Executive of the Department for Education, Professor Westwell, have both said this morning that that was an error and that access should not have been given to Grammarly. They have been at pains to say that they don't think those students who didn't have access to Grammarly will be in any way disadvantaged by the fact that some of their classmates or other year 12 students taking those exams did.

I have, of course, asked for some advice from both Ms Bensley and Professor Westwell about what specifically will be done to make sure access is not given again because I agree with the sentiments of both acting the CE and CE that it is not ideal. I think we can probably safely say that even if no students were disadvantaged through this process, having all this conjecture and speculation about the fact that some students did does not really go to the integrity of the SACE, and we want to avoid situations like that one at all costs.

I am happy to come back to the member for Morialta on the specifics of when were first alerted to the fact that access had been given, and I will also happily furnish this place with further detail around what exact and precise steps are being taken to make sure students can't have access to something like that again.