Tasmanian parents frustrated by errors in senior school exams months after report into 2024 mistakes

Parents of Tasmanian school students have raised concerns about further errors on senior secondary exam papers.

In September the newly appointed chair of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) Sally Darke assured that "robust safeguards" would be put in place following a series of mistakes in 2024.

However, alleged mistakes in the 2025 biology and legal studies exams this week has TASC facing more criticism from parents and teachers.

'At least print the exams correctly'

When year 12 students sat for their final biology exam at 9am on Monday, many had more questions than answers.

Mary* said her child's cohort at Hobart College was initially handed the incorrect formula sheet, leaving staff scrambling to find, photocopy and distribute the correct document.

She said students were allowed to proceed with both formula sheets for the remainder of the exam.

But Mary worried that the distribution of marks across schools would be affected.

"I just don't understand how TASC could get it so wrong," she said.

"Students put so much effort towards this … you'd think they would at least print the exams correctly."

Concerns have also been raised about an incorrect term included in the legal studies exam on Monday afternoon.

A report released earlier this year found that understaffing at TASC was a key factor in the series of mistakes that marred the 2024 Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) exams.

"Based on our observations and discussions, we noted there was insufficient resourcing at TASC considering the workload and quantum of exams to be developed each year," the report found.

"This resourcing issue creates a higher risk of potential error in exam content development, which can be compounded when there is insufficient training of exam setters and critics … or critical time constraints."

It made 34 total recommendations for TASC to improve its processes.

Teaching staff are also frustrated by the situation, with one telling the ABC there should be stronger proofreading protocols before exams are distributed.

TASC 'working to determine any impacts'

In a statement a TASC spokesperson said the body was working with exam setters and critics to determine if there was "a discrepancy in the legal studies exam".

"Some students have raised a potential discrepancy in referring to 'community service orders' in question 9, with the Tasmanian sentencing order changing to be referred to as a 'community correction order,'" the spokesperson said.

TASC said a "replacement information sheet" was distributed at the start of the biology exam.

"Students received extra exam time if this was not completed prior to the exam starting at their exam centre," the spokesperson said.

"There was no inaccuracy in the information sheet, it simply was from a previous course and therefore had not been specifically tailored to match the current course.

"TASC is working to determine any impacts and put in place mitigations as required."

It is unclear how many schools were affected.

TASC said it was committed to "enhancing exam development processes" to meet the expectations of Tasmanians.

Thursday is the final day of 2025 TCE exams.

*Name has been changed for privacy reasons.