NSW deputy premier calls for halt to take-home exams amid AI review

Prue Car, the New South Wales deputy premier, has asked the state's education standards authority to impose an immediate ban on unsupervised take-home assessments while a broad review into artificial intelligence's impact on student learning is conducted. The request, made public on Wednesday, reflects growing alarm over the technology's effect on academic integrity and cognitive development.

Why the moratorium is being sought

Car said she has asked the NSW Education Standards Authority (Nesa) to "urgently" examine the role of AI in education and to act quickly to protect student learning. With half of a student's Higher School Certificate (HSC) result determined by school-based assessments—some of which are completed outside the classroom—the risk of AI misuse has become a pressing concern for educators and policy-makers.

The deputy premier warned that AI should never replace the core values of education. "Artificial intelligence has enormous potential to support teaching and learning, but it should never replace the thinking, creativity, and hard work that education is designed to develop," Car said in a statement. "The purpose of schooling extends beyond producing an assessment task. It is to build knowledge, judgement, resilience, and critical thinking over time."

Concerns over academic integrity and cognitive growth

At the heart of the proposal is the belief that students who rely heavily on AI tools to complete take-home tasks may bypass essential learning processes. Car warned that this could "undermine both their education and the integrity of the HSC," allowing students to earn credentials without genuinely mastering the material.

While AI tools like ChatGPT and other large language models can assist with research, drafting, and problem-solving, educators have raised concerns that unsupervised use can lead to plagiarism, superficial understanding, and stunted critical thinking. The request for a moratorium is intended to give Nesa time to develop clear policies and guidelines for the responsible use of AI in schools.

What happens next

Nesa will consider the request and may implement interim changes from the beginning of term 4, subject to its advice. This would mean that for the remainder of the 2023 school year, students in NSW could be required to complete assessments under supervised conditions or in timed, in-class settings.

Schools across the state are likely to adjust their assessment schedules and practices if the moratorium comes into effect. While some teachers and parents may welcome the move as a safeguard for fairness, others argue that practical, take-home tasks are a valuable part of learning that shouldn't be abandoned entirely.

The broader AI review is expected to explore not just assessment security, but also how AI can be harnessed as an educational tool—potentially helping to personalise learning and reduce teacher workload. The challenge will be finding a balance between innovation and protecting the fundamental skills that schooling aims to develop.

For now, the focus is on immediate action. Car's intervention signals a decisive stance from the NSW government, one that prioritises learning integrity over convenience. With term 4 approaching, the urgency is palpable, and educators and students alike will be watching closely for Nesa's ruling.