October 23, 2012
Deadline Approaching for Supplementary Exam Registration
From November 5 to 8, the Department of Education will be offering high school students an opportunity to write supplementary exams in seven public exam courses. The deadline to register is October 31, 2012.
“This is the second year the department has offered supplementary exams in both August and November in an effort to give more students a chance to graduate, or to improve their academic standing,” said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education. “I particularly encourage all students who may not have been successful in graduating this past year to take this opportunity to improve their marks, and attain a high school diploma.”
Registration forms, exam schedules, and learning resources designed to help students review course material, can be accessed via the web at: www.gov.nl.ca/edu/k12/evaluation/exams.html.
“Today’s economy offers many exciting prospects for our youth, but it will be a challenge to participate fully in our growing prosperity without the benefit of a high school diploma,” Minister Jackman said. “It is the first step – and a crucial step – in enabling young people to pursue the post-secondary education and training they want to help them achieve their life-long goals.”
Minister Jackman noted the 2011-12 graduation rate now stands at 93 per cent, as compared to 85 per cent in 2002-03 – and more students are graduating with an honours or academic diploma as opposed to a general diploma. Last year, 70 per cent of graduates had an honours or academic diploma, as compared to 58.7 in 2002-03. Furthermore, over the past 15 years, Newfoundland and Labrador has experienced the largest decline in drop-out rates in Canada – from 16.7 per cent in 1996 to 7.4 per cent today, which is among the best in the country. The Canadian average drop-out rate is 8.9 per cent.
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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca
2012 10 23 9:35 a.m.