Rafy
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http://www.smh.com.au/national/educ...apping-school-certificate-20110630-1gt3b.html
A PROPOSAL to abolish the school certificate exam sat by year 10 students is on its way to state cabinet, the Herald understands.
It will be the third time in two decades that the cabinet has been asked to get rid of the exam which the education community considers serves little purpose.
A year ago the Board of Studies was asked to review the school certificate for the then education minister, Verity Firth.
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The new minister, Adrian Piccoli, is now trying to steer that response through the expenditure review committee where concerns have been raised about the cost of any alternative form of school-based assessment.
This year's exam will go ahead between November 7 and 11 but the future of next year's test is unclear. Even if cabinet abolishes the exam, students in year 9 have already begun working towards the assessment.
Mr Piccoli refused last night to comment on the plan, noting that the Board of Studies was completing a report back to the government.
Nearly 90,000 students were candidates last year and 84,851 were granted a certificate.
Despite the leaving age being raised this year to 17, more than 20 per cent of students do not continue to the higher school certificate, although this figure can vary significantly among regions.
The proposal would also abolish the certificate of vocational and general education which is offered by the TAFE.[...]