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Report Summary
This is the ICAC's report on an investigation and systems review of corruption risks associated with HSC take-home assessment tasks.
In June 2005 the ICAC received a section 11 report from the Board of Studies NSW which contained allegations that some students attending a private tutoring business, Acclaim Education, had received improper assistance for work ultimately submitted as part of their Higher School Certificate assessment.
The ICAC determined to conduct an investigation to ascertain if any persons had engaged in corrupt conduct as defined in the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 and, if so, the extent of that conduct. The ICAC also decided to investigate because the allegations implied that systemic weaknesses might exist so as to allow, encourage or cause the occurrence of corrupt conduct.
Conduct
The ICAC investigated allegations of improper tutoring services being given to NSW high school students for Major Works being submitted as assessment tasks for the NSW Higher School Certificate.
If proven, the allegations reported to the ICAC could amount to corrupt conduct as defined in the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 (ICAC Act). Such conduct by tutors and students could adversely affect the exercise of official functions by a NSW public official, in this case a Board of Studies NSW (BOS) assessor responsible for assessing and grading the works submitted, or a school teacher conducting internal assessment to faciliate the HSC process on behalf of the BOS and could, for the purposes of sections 8(2) and 9 of the ICAC Act, involve fraud.
Findings
The ICAC found that some students had been provided with varying degrees of assistance from various private tutors employed at Acclaim Education. Ultimately, there was insufficient evidence on which to base any finding of corrupt conduct, however the evidence gathered by the ICAC during its investigation identified areas of practice affecting the HSC that are potentially conducive to corrupt conduct.
The ICAC's investigation made it apparent that there are several risk areas which need to be addressed by the relevant public authorities, namely:
* risks associated with identifying and dealing with cheating and malpractice;
* risks specific to the English Extension 2 course; and
* risks associated with secondary employment and the tutoring industry.
Recommendations
The ICAC has made a total of 20 corruption prevention recommendations as a result of this investigation - 14 to the Board of Studies NSW, five to the NSW Department of Education and Training and one to the Minister for Education and Training. As part of the performance of its statutory functions the ICAC will monitor the implementation of these recommendations.
Download Report
PDF Version (988 KB)
Source: ICAC, Report on an investigation and systems review of corruption risks associated with HSC take-home assessment tasks
This is the ICAC's report on an investigation and systems review of corruption risks associated with HSC take-home assessment tasks.
In June 2005 the ICAC received a section 11 report from the Board of Studies NSW which contained allegations that some students attending a private tutoring business, Acclaim Education, had received improper assistance for work ultimately submitted as part of their Higher School Certificate assessment.
The ICAC determined to conduct an investigation to ascertain if any persons had engaged in corrupt conduct as defined in the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 and, if so, the extent of that conduct. The ICAC also decided to investigate because the allegations implied that systemic weaknesses might exist so as to allow, encourage or cause the occurrence of corrupt conduct.
Conduct
The ICAC investigated allegations of improper tutoring services being given to NSW high school students for Major Works being submitted as assessment tasks for the NSW Higher School Certificate.
If proven, the allegations reported to the ICAC could amount to corrupt conduct as defined in the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 (ICAC Act). Such conduct by tutors and students could adversely affect the exercise of official functions by a NSW public official, in this case a Board of Studies NSW (BOS) assessor responsible for assessing and grading the works submitted, or a school teacher conducting internal assessment to faciliate the HSC process on behalf of the BOS and could, for the purposes of sections 8(2) and 9 of the ICAC Act, involve fraud.
Findings
The ICAC found that some students had been provided with varying degrees of assistance from various private tutors employed at Acclaim Education. Ultimately, there was insufficient evidence on which to base any finding of corrupt conduct, however the evidence gathered by the ICAC during its investigation identified areas of practice affecting the HSC that are potentially conducive to corrupt conduct.
The ICAC's investigation made it apparent that there are several risk areas which need to be addressed by the relevant public authorities, namely:
* risks associated with identifying and dealing with cheating and malpractice;
* risks specific to the English Extension 2 course; and
* risks associated with secondary employment and the tutoring industry.
Recommendations
The ICAC has made a total of 20 corruption prevention recommendations as a result of this investigation - 14 to the Board of Studies NSW, five to the NSW Department of Education and Training and one to the Minister for Education and Training. As part of the performance of its statutory functions the ICAC will monitor the implementation of these recommendations.
Download Report
PDF Version (988 KB)
Source: ICAC, Report on an investigation and systems review of corruption risks associated with HSC take-home assessment tasks