A weight has been lifted off the shoulders of some of Alberta's Grade 12 public school students.
At the end of December, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced fall semester diplomas — which are typically written beginning mid-January — would be cancelled.
"I think the overall feeling was a sense of relief," said Vince Hunter, principal at Foothills Composite High School.
This is the third year in a row that there has been a disruption to the tests that make up 30 per cent of a student's final grade. Prior to 2015, exam marks equated to 50 per cent of a course grade.
According to the province, students who were registered to write diploma exams this month and have a school-awarded mark for the term will receive a test exemption, without having to apply for one.
Hunter said news of the cancellation of diploma examinations was anticipated and has been received relatively well amongst affected students and parents.
"The one thing that we would all agree on is it certainly has lowered anxiety and stress levels, particularly for those Grade 12 students who are looking at what their hopes and dreams are going to be after high school," he said.
Diplomas can be a high-stress time for any student — especially for those that have spent a good portion of their high school careers drifting to and from in-person and online learning.
"I think the majority of students and adults would have said that they are happy to know that that wasn't going to be something that they had to prepare for just based on the school environment that they've been in for the last few years," Hunter said.
He said while students have been through a significant educational bout in the past two years, teachers and support staff have done their best to ensure that effective learning still takes place, regardless of the circumstances.
Staff and students at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School aren't directly affected by the change, given that they operate on a year-long school year that sees students in Grade 12 write diploma exams in April, June and August.
But STS Senior School Principal Anand Mahahave has raised concerns of a level playing field amongst students applying for university and scholarships with some having school-awarded marks only and others with diploma exams factored in.
There has yet to be a decision on whether exams will continue as normal in the later part of the year.
"We are hoping to have clarity on this matter from Alberta Education soon as our students and families prepare for the June 2022 session as well as for the August session following our summer session," Mahahave said via email.
