Pass rates for final exams have returned to normal levels despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as nearly 90 per cent of all exam students in secondary education attained their diploma in the last academic year.
According to a press release by the national government, the percentage of students who passed in the first school year without exam measures has almost reached the pre-pandemic levels, as in a regular academic year, around 92 per cent of students pass.
The result comes from the examination monitor of the Education Executive Agency (DUO), which Minister Marielle Paul (Primary and Secondary Education) sent to the House of Representatives on Friday.
Pass rates have been much higher over the past three years, with one of the reasons being that students were allowed to take extra resit due to the circumstances. They were not allowed to have one grade count towards their diploma as long as it was not a core subject. In 2020, the final exam was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and almost everyone passed, while last May, students were able to take their exams without special measures for the first time.
We should not underestimate the effect Coronavirus has had on this group of students. That is why I understand very well that some final exam candidates are disappointed that we have not taken exam measures this year. However, students and teachers fought hard and managed to make up for delays. The figures show that they managed very well to complete the exam successfully. That is a top achievement that they can be very proud of!
The same shoes that in the past school year, compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, students failed slightly more often without raking a resit. Dutch language and mathematics are the most often resits, which is a common result throughout the years.
This year, students will also be able to take exams without undergoing special measures. However, the second period will remain extended due to the positive experiences that occurred during the pandemic times during this period. This means that the period will last six instead of four days. This means that a student who cannot take the exam in the first period due to reasons like illness or similar circumstantial reasons can catch up on the exams more easily, as fewer exams are held at the same time.
With financial support from the National Education Program, schools have been tackling the learning delays that students have suffered as a result of corona since 2021. Schools choose from a variety of proven effective methods. Primary and secondary schools may use the funds until the 2024/2025 academic year.
