THE new-look VCE General Achievement Test (GAT) will help future employers understand where a student’s skills are with literacy and numeracy, according to Swan Hill College assistant principal De Rosewater.
Sample questions of the GAT have been released this week for teachers, students and their families to review.
The example questions released are part of the new part a of the reformed GAT, which will explicitly report students’ literacy and numeracy scores against new standards, bringing the Victorian GAT in line with similar test in other states and territories.
“I have seen the release that they have put out with examples of question, and I think they are all achievable and fair, something the students should be able to easily work their way through, Ms Rosewarne said.
“Our students will just rise to the challenge in front of them.”
Students will now also receive information about whether they have demonstrated literacy and numeracy skills expected of someone completing secondary school.
“The GAT is changing to give Victorian students just another thing to prove to future employers and educators that they’ve had a great secondary education – and these real-world sample questions will give them a sense of what to expect in the new section of the test,” Minister for Education James Merlino said.
The GAT will now be split into two sections – section A will assess literacy and numeracy skills, while section B will look similar to the previous GAT, assessing skills in English, maths, science, technology, arts and humanities, while having an increased focus on critical and creative thinking skills
The change in the GAT comes as Victoria prepares to transition to a new integrated senior secondary certificate from 2023, which will bring together VCE and VCAL within the VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate options.
The new certificates will give all students better support and flexibility to study what they want, alongside the key academic skills to prepare them for the jobs of the future, further education or training.
The GAT will be held on Wednesday, September 7.
