Chair of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) COVID-19 Response Committee, Professor Peter Shergold, has confirmed that the class of 2020 will sit HSC written exams later this year.
The Committee met on April 24 to make the decision and agreed to release HSC results in mid-December as originally planned.
It also committed to: Releasing the written exam timetable by May 15; extend due dates and allow teachers to mark major projects in Design and Technology, Industrial Technology, Textiles and Design and Visual Arts; and give schools and parents more time to submit evidence for disability provisions for the exams.
Professor Shergold said the Committee is systematically working through every element of this year’s HSC so that the results issued to students in mid-December take into account any disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The health and safety of students, teachers, exam supervisors and markers, as well as equity for students remain central to the Committee’s planning for this year’s HSC,” Professor Shergold said.
The marking process for Design and Technology, Industrial Technology, Textiles and Design major projects and Visual Arts bodies of work have been changed, so students will have an extra two weeks to work on their projects, and the marks will be provided by their teachers.
“Teachers are best placed to consider the extent of any disruption experienced by their individual students due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as they will have been closely monitoring their progress since Term 4 last year,” Professor Shergold added.
The NESA will provide teachers with detailed marking guidelines and monitor marks submitted to ensure equity in major project marks across the state.
Schools are also now able to apply for disability provisions for students for the exams based on evidence they already have, noting that it may be challenging for families to access specialist medical advice at this time.
Source: Press release, Apr 24, 2020 – NESA Media