Thousands of Year 3 and 5 students from the Illawarra will join more than 1 million others across the country sitting NAPLAN tests this week.
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The controversial assessment returns this year after not running in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) CEO David de Carvalho welcomed the return of NAPLAN.
He said the data from this year's NAPLAN assessment was going to be particularly important as it was the first test to take place in two years.
This year, 70 per cent of schools will participate in NAPLAN Online, in preparation for a full transition to NAPLAN Online in 2022.
"As the only national assessment all Australian children undertake, NAPLAN provides rich data that helps inform decisions about improving the learning of all young Australians," Mr de Carvalho said.
"With NAPLAN cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, the data from this year's NAPLAN assessment is going to be particularly important in helping to show the impact COVID has had in terms of learning gain (or loss) in literacy and numeracy."
But critics such as the Australian Education Union (AEU), said it was time for NAPLAN to be scrapped.
AEU federal president Correna Haythorpe said an overwhelming majority of public school teachers and principals questioned the effectiveness of NAPLAN testing.
"NAPLAN is simply not fit for purpose," Ms Haythorpe said.
Dr Jessica Mantei from the School of Education at the University of Wollongong wasn't surprised NAPLAN was "so contentious".
She said assessments were always important. "[Parents and teachers] really want to know that students are learning and they are making great progress. I guess that is why it is always something that is contentious," Dr Mantei said.
"I'm always happy to welcome reviews of our processes, including for NAPLAN.
"I think assessments are something we need to continue to review.
"What is it that we are asking our learners to do? How does that impact on what we ask teachers to do?
"So I'm happy to have a review of NAPLAN or any other assessment."
Dr Mantei said regardless of whether parents were a fan of NAPLAN or not, they would appreciate getting back to normal "after our year of COVID".
"Our teachers really are experts ... and we can trust our teachers and our leaders at schools to make sure that our learners can engage with NAPLAN, and they can do that really well," she said.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
