MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Teachers at nine high schools in northeastern Australia found days before an ancient history exam that they had mistakenly taught their students about the wrong Roman ruler – Augustus Caesar – rather than his predecessor Julius Caesar.
Students in Queensland were excused from a statewide exam on Wednesday and Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said he was investigating the mix-up, calling the experience “extremely traumatic” for students.
Since a syllabus error was discovered Monday, schools applied for — and received — exemptions from the exam for their students, even as panicked high school students crammed tales of Julius Caesar's exploits as a Roman general and statesman.
“I am very unhappy with the current situation,” Langbroek told reporters as he announced that the 140 pensioners affected by the mix-up would not have to take the exam.
Langbroek said he would make sure those students “are not at a disadvantage.”
However, the incident caused a wave of criticism.
Parents have complained that the panic surrounding an ancient history exam has distracted their children from studying for other exams, including an earlier exam on Wednesday.
The exam accounts for 25% of students' grades for the year. Students excused from testing on Wednesday will receive credit for the remaining 75% of the grade based on their grades.
The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority said it told the state's 180 secondary schools two years ago that the ancient history exam topic would change to “Julius Caesar” in 2025. For the previous four years, the topic had been Augustus Caesar.
