In a surprising turn of events, teachers at nine high schools in northeastern Australia discovered just days before an ancient history exam that they had mistakenly taught their students about Augustus Caesar instead of his predecessor, Julius Caesar. The error, uncovered on Monday, led to an exemption for students in Queensland from the statewide exam scheduled for Wednesday. Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek described the situation as “extremely traumatic” for the students and pledged to investigate the mix-up. The affected 140 seniors were granted an exemption from the exam, which constitutes 25% of their annual marks. Instead, their grades will be determined based on assessments covering the remaining 75% of their coursework. The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority revealed that the exam topic had been Augustus Caesar for the past four years, but schools were informed two years ago that the focus would shift to Julius Caesar in 2025. The incident has sparked criticism from parents, who argue that the panic surrounding the exam disrupted their children’s preparation for other tests, including one held earlier on Wednesday. Langbroek assured that the students would not be disadvantaged and emphasized the need for accountability in the education system.
Studying the wrong ancient Roman ruler gets Australian high school seniors out of a history exam
