Parents have welcomed a move that will see over 50,000 year 12 students have their end-of-year high school grade individually assessed, with special consideration given towards their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
Under the new process, teachers across Victoria will provide the Victorian curriculum and assessment authority with feedback on how the performance of each of their students could have been impacted by the pandemic.
Victorian students will then have their VCE results and ATAR rankings calculated by taking in those external factors.
State Education Minister James Merlino also unveiled on Friday a “significant” $28.5 million mental health package to give support to “our most vulnerable cohort of students.”
“Now students will go into their VCE exams with the confidence knowing that they will not be disadvantaged as a result of COVID-19,” Mr Merlino said.
“It puts them on a level playing field with every student across the state.”
But the education minister admits the new process will put an increased load on teachers who have already had to adapt to remote learning.
In the past, special consideration was only offered to individual students on a case-by-case basis.
Among the factors, assessors will consider include the effects of school closures, direct health impacts, family responsibilities, remote learning issues, and mental health.
But education experts recognise this is not an ordinary year.
“Those normal mechanisms are just not enough to take into account the disruption that happened in Victoria, particularly with our second wave,” researcher Peter Goss said.
“It's fair to assume, which is what the government has done, that every neutral student is in a unique circumstance this year.”
Mr Goss also said it was unlikely offering individual assessments could put Victorian students at an advantage compared to pupils in other states.
Year twelve students face ‘perfect storm’
The announcement is a relief for the families of year 12 students in Victoria, who have experienced a tumultuous year with school closures and moves to remote learning.
"For the 2020 VCE cohort, everything's a bit of an unknown going forward. There's obviously a high level of anxiety among students," Gail McHardy from a parent's association, Parents Victoria said.
"The impact has predominantly been about the pivoting back and forth, going on-site then back to learning from home and, not being able to share in the end of their secondary schooling life."
"When the anxiety is high, how can they remain calm and how can they continue to focus?"
To support struggling students, the Victorian government will train up 1,500 teachers to help provide mental health support and provide specialist schools with dedicated mental health practitioners.
Youth mental health expert Patrick McGorry welcomed the boost to assist students facing an uncertain future after they graduate.
"I've described it as the perfect storm for young people at the moment, especially in Victoria, [with] the combination of the isolation, the whole effects of lockdown and the disruption to their education," he told SBS News.
"Today's package is very welcome in that context... and I know they considering a wider range of interventions for mental health of young people and adults."
Professor McGorry is the director of Mental health organisation Orygen, which reported a 20 per cent increase in calls for mental health support among young people during the pandemic, exacerbated by a second lockdown.
Professor Patrick McGorry welcomed the increase in mental health training for Victorian teachers. Source: AAP
He encouraged senior students to be aware of their own mental health and reach out if they feel they are struggling.
"The barriers are there to getting access to care, there is no doubt, but it could save your life or the life of someone very close to you if you persist and don't give up," he said.
Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline crisis support on 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25).
Metropolitan Melbourne residents are subject to Stage 4 restrictions and must comply with a curfew between the hours of 8pm and 5am. During the curfew, people in Melbourne can only leave their house for work, and essential health, care or safety reasons.
Between 5am and 8pm, people in Melbourne can leave the home for exercise, to shop for necessary goods and services, for work, for health care, or to care for a sick or elderly relative. The full list of restrictions .
All Victorians must wear a face covering when they leave home, no matter where they live.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
