• Around 140 students from nine schools in Queensland had to prepare for a final ancient history exam on Julius Caesar, even though they had studied Augustus
• The Department of Education promised to rescale 75% of the course marks to ensure students are not disadvantaged, while investigating the cause of the error

Students in Queensland, Australia, revealed a major mistake in the Year 12 ancient history curriculum, as about 140 students from nine different schools prepared for a final exam on Julius Caesar despite having studied Augustus, the first Roman emperor and adopted son of Julius Caesar

One student, who wished to remain anonymous, said their class sat an exam on a completely different topic from what we studied

He added: There were journalists outside our school all day, and it was extremely disruptive. We’re just trying to continue with our exams after this confusion

Australian Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek expressed being “very upset” upon learning of the situation, noting that officials at the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) would be held responsible, and described the news as “very shocking” for students and their parents

The minister confirmed that 75% of the course marks already assessed would be rescaled to ensure students are not disadvantaged, but he did not provide clear details on how the exam itself would be handled or whether it would be canceled

“I can’t imagine how anyone is expected to take an exam after only two days of preparation,” he said

Langbroek added that the cause of the error is still unclear and that he has directed the Director-General of the Department of Education to urgently investigate how the QCAA communicates with schools to implement syllabus changes

He also stated that he would ensure future resources and planning at the QCAA are properly guided to prevent a repeat of such a mistake