NSW: Primary school students in NSW sit Basic Skills Test

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2005
NSW: Primary school students in NSW sit Basic Skills Test

EDS: Embargoed until 0500 (AEST) Tuesday August 2



SYDNEY, Aug 2 AAP - More than 175,000 NSW students in years three and five will sit
the state's Basic Skills test today.

The students will be tested on their reading, writing, language and numeracy skills,
enabling teachers to monitor their academic development, NSW Education Minister Carmel
Tebbutt said.

The 87,000 students in Year Three and 88,000 students in Year Five will sit the writing
component of the test today and the literacy and numeracy components on Thursday.

"The Basic Skills Test has helped our students achieve some of the best literacy and
numeracy results in the world," Ms Tebbutt said in a statement.

"These tests assist teachers to pinpoint where students need help, so students don't
fall between the gaps."

She said the NSW government was spending $500 million over the next four years on the
State Literacy and Numeracy Plan, of which the Basic Skills Test was the most important
part.

AAP ka/cjh/sd

KEYWORD: SKILLS (EMBARGOED)

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