On a chaotic day at Canterbury Park Racecourse, over 2,500 students and their parents experienced significant disruption as they arrived for the NSW selective schools and Opportunity Class (OC) tests. Long queues and confusion marked the morning, with many waiting for hours before their tests.
The situation escalated to such an extent that the public order and riot squad had to be deployed to manage the crowd, which was blocking the venue’s entrance. Parents expressed their frustration to 9News, describing the scene as “chaos” due to a lack of signage and organisation upon their arrival.
Two exams were scheduled, with the first set to begin at 8 am and the second at noon. As parents awaited their children, they were informed just before 11 am that the first test would be delayed by an hour. Contributing factors included technological malfunctions and traffic disruptions on the M1 motorway, which caused added delays for many attendees. Reports emerged that students struggled to connect to the Wi-Fi necessary for the test at the venue.
As the waiting continued, parents became increasingly restless, prompting some to contact the police for assistance. With no staff available to manage the situation, a concerned parent expressed that it was essential to involve authorities.
By around 1.30 pm, after significant delay, parents of students scheduled for the second exam were informed that the test had been cancelled altogether. Frustrated by the disorganisation, one parent questioned the ability to manage such events, comparing it unfavourably to the organisation of the Olympics.
The Department of Education acknowledged the severity of the issues faced, with Education Minister Prue Car stating that an urgent review would be undertaken to identify shortcomings. She expressed her sincere apologies to the affected families, recognising the stress involved in taking exams.
For those who missed their opportunity due to the day’s events, arrangements have been made for them to sit the exam on the following Monday. Additionally, preparations for further tests scheduled over the weekend include increasing staffing levels to better accommodate the large number of students.