Ensuring our students can measure up

Assessments for Year 11 and 12 have a focus on fairness, says Jeremy Rockliff

COVID-19 has presented enormous challenges for the Tasmanian education sector.

I can’t thank principals, staff and teachers enough for their dedication to supporting student learning and wellbeing, and I thank parents and carers for their incredible work partnering with teachers to support learning at home.

It has not been easy, and I know many have found a greater appreciation for the magnificent work that our teachers do, reaffirming schools remain at the heart of our communities.

Our primary students and our Year 11 and 12 students are returning to school-based learning this week as part of our cautious and staged approach.

It has been a particularly stressful time for Year 11 and 12 students, with many concerned about the impact on future study and opportunities. A lot of thought and effort has gone into adjusting Year 11 and 12 courses to accommodate for time lost out of the classroom.

We are working closely with TASC, Department of Education, Catholic Education Tasmania, Independent Schools Tasmania, University of Tasmania and public and private registered training organisations to ensure the attainment of the Tasmanian Qualifications Certificate, Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) and the calculation of ATAR scores are not affected.

We have been working closely with other states and jurisdictions and national bodies to ensure a fair, wellco-ordinated and nationally recognised response.

The focus is on fairness and equity, which is why a set of recommendations has been developed to support schools to manage risks and ensure students are not disadvantaged. In the VET sector, students have been unable to do practical tasks or attend vocational placements, which has been taken into account by adjusting course requirements.

An adjusted examination and assessment program for TASC Level 3 and 4 courses is under development to reflect changes to courses. Panels with representation from around the state are reviewing assessments to make sure they reflect the learning impacts as a result of COVID-19, with a cross-sector working group validating those adjustments to ensure they are fully endorsed.

Written examinations will be held from November 9 to 19, with student results emailed on December 18.

Calculation of the ATAR is a partnership between the Office of TASC and University of Tasmania in its role as the state’s Tertiary Admissions Centre, and students will still receive an ATAR in December as usual. This will enable them to apply to study at other universities, and I am delighted that hundreds of Year 12 students have already applied for University of Tasmania courses through the Schools Recommendation Program, meaning they will receive their offer much earlier in the year. As students begin to return to school, it is still very important we maintain safety precautions and follow public health advice.

Thank you for being flexible and understanding as we navigate this together, and please be assured there is a mountain of work going on behind the scenes to support Tasmanian learners.

I am committed to ensuring our students will not be adversely affected this year, and that they will still have access to all the opportunities they dreamed of.

Together we can make the return to classroom learning a successful one.

If you have further inquiries, call the Department of Education COVID-19 hotline 1800 816 057.

I AM COMMITTED TO ENSURING OUR STUDENTS WILL STILL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY DREAMED OF