Why schools should scrap NAPLAN and make learning fun

Science teacher Suzy Urbaniak explains the importance of making learning fun, and why NAPLAN testing is sending students backwards.

To watch 'Spitting the dummy' in full, see links below:

You don’t need to be Einstein to know there is something wrong in our classrooms. But we might need an Einstein to fix the problem. That’s because when it comes to quality education, the United Nations says Australia has free-fallen to 39th in a list of 41 advanced countries. The embarrassing fact is that if you want your kids to be smarter, they’d be better off studying in Lithuania, Slovakia or Kazakhstan. Much of the blame is directed at the controversial NAPLAN tests for primary and high school students. The results of this year’s exams will be released later this month, but one outcome is certain about NAPLAN: it’s causing more and more pupils – and teachers – to be stressed out and anxious. On 60 MINUTES, Tom Steinfort investigates why and asks if now is the time to spit the dummy and demand a change. 

Reporter: Tom Steinfort 

Producer: Alice Dalley