A major mix-up in Queensland, Australia, led to 140 high school students being exempted from their final ancient history exam after teachers spent a year teaching them about the wrong Roman emperor.
The error affected senior student classes at nine schools, where students were taught about Augustus Caesar instead of Julius Caesar, who was the set topic for a final external exam.
The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) confirmed the error, stating that the topic change had been announced more than a year earlier but was not reflected in lesson plans at several schools.
Exam cancelled after last-minute discovery
Education officials discovered the mistake just days before the statewide assessment. Per AP News, Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the situation was “extremely traumatic” for students who had spent months revising the wrong material.
The affected students will instead be assessed on the remaining components of their coursework, which accounts for 75% of their final grade.
The QCAA said it had launched an investigation into how the error went undetected for so long, while a broader review is underway across 172 schools to ensure no others were impacted. Schools named in reports include Brisbane State High School, Flagstone State Community College, and Meridan State College.
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