News and Media
COVID gives us a chance to rethink traditional end-of-school exams, and move into the 21 century
Article Source: https://theconversation.com/covid-gives-us-a-chance-to-rethink-traditional-end-of-school-exams-and-move-into-the-21-century-167038
Victoria and New South Wales are in a scramble to plan for end-of-school exams. Vaccination targets may not be hit in time (for students or teachers), and there are other issues too — such as kids having missed weeks of face-to-face schooling.
NSW has postponed its HSC (Higher School Certificate) exams until November. And while Victoria postponed its General Achievement Test, it has made no changes to its HSC equivalent, the VCE.
Some critics believe postponing exams isn’t enough, and are calling on states to eliminate end-of-school exams altogether.
Both states have special consideration policies put in place for scores impacted by COVID, but is this enough? And does this unique circumstance give us an opportunity to change the way end-of-school assessments are done?
Two schools of thought
Opinions around this year’s exams fall into two main schools of thought.
The first is that year 12 students deserve to finish what they started. We have spent 12 years convincing them of the importance of this milestone. Many students are anxious, if exams are cancelled, their pathway to university and beyond will be jeopardised by using only their prior track records. Some students are advocating keeping exams for all these reasons.
