The Victorian government has sacked the board of the state’s curriculum authority and appointed a new chief executive following a damning review into last year’s VCE exam leak scandal that advantaged thousands of students.
The independent report found the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) failed in its duty when it accidentally published sample cover pages containing real exam questions online. These pages were viewed around 6,000 times before the final exams and were downloaded by some students, according to online forum activity. However, the review could not determine exactly how many students gained an unfair advantage.
The review made eight key recommendations to overhaul governance at the VCAA, including installing a new board and creating a senior executive role to improve oversight and accountability. The Victorian government has accepted all recommendations and is already implementing changes ahead of this year’s exam cycle.
Andrew Smith has been appointed to lead the interim board and will take over as CEO from 1 June. Education Minister Ben Carroll, who ordered the review after the scandal affected more than half of the 116 VCE subjects, said the board was “completely unprepared” for the 2024 exams and failed to respond adequately when the leak was discovered.
“There was a complete lack of oversight from the board when it comes to VCE examinations,” Carroll said. He also criticised the exam rewriting process, stating it was not “up to scratch”.
The review, led by Yehudi Blacher, concluded that the issues were systemic and extended beyond the 2024 exams. It said responsibility lay both with the board and VCAA management for poor preparation and quality control over a sustained period.
In response, the government has also appointed independent monitor Margaret Crawford to oversee the development of the 2025 exams, ensuring greater transparency and rigour.
However, the opposition has slammed the review. Shadow education minister Jess Wilson criticised its independence and limited scope, claiming it failed to prevent future exam failures and accusing Minister Carroll of initially attempting to cover up the scandal.
“He valued saving his job more than preserving the integrity of the VCE,” Wilson said.
From 2026, the VCAA will introduce backup exams to be used in the event of future leaks, bringing it in line with other jurisdictions.
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