In a press release, Alberta Secretary of Education Adriana LaGrange said the government wants to ease the workload on Year 12 students following the impact of the pandemic.

The decision came after a meeting with more than 40 school boards across the province.

“We are making this temporary change to make life easier for students and to support their mental health,” the minister said.

Scott Morrison, President of Principal of the College of Alberta (CASS), welcomes the government’s decision to lower exam weights.

“This decision reflects the recommendation of an ad hoc committee CASS carried out during the pandemic and a balanced approach between returning to normality and respecting the social and emotional needs of students”.

Year 12 students have to take diploma exams in various subjects such as math, science and biology.

Not enough, teachers say

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) supports the government’s decision but considers it insufficient.

Per press release, theAT A clarifies that reducing the weighting of diploma examinations is only one measure palliative.

To really improve the situation left behind by the pandemic, the government needs to improve the learning conditions for students: smaller classes, more support for students, additional teachers and educational assistants, and diplomas optional..

The government had just canceled the diploma exams in 2020 because of the pandemic. However, students could choose to take the exam under certain conditions if they so wished.

In 2015, Alberta reduced the weighting of credential exams from 50% to 30%.