Chair of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) COVID-19 Response Committee, Professor Peter Shergold confirmed today that the class of 2020 will sit HSC written exams later this year.
Today's Committee meeting also agreed to:
· release HSC results in mid December as originally planned
· release the written exam timetable by 15 May (Week 3 Term 2)
· extend due dates and allow teachers to mark major projects in Design and Technology, Industrial Technology, Textiles and Design and Visual Arts
· 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 said.
NESA will provide teachers with detailed marking guidelines and monitor marks submitted to ensure equity in major project marks across the state.
Schools are now able to apply for disability provisions for students for the exams based on the evidence they already have noting that it may be challenging for families to access specialist medical advice at this time. Additional medical evidence can be provided at later date.
