You’ve got this, leaders say as SACE year 12 exams start for 2020
After 12 years, it comes down to this for 12,495 South Australian students. Exams are here. But don’t worry – you’ve got this, our leaders say.
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As 12,495 students get set to write their final exams for the South Australian Certificate of Education, they are being urged to focus on what they know and put the stresses of 2020 behind them.
“It’s been an extraordinary year, full of ups and downs and challenges that we have never faced before, but my message to all of the year 12s embarking on their final exams this week is – you’ve got this,” Premier Steven Marshall said.
“There are plenty of people – teachers, support staff, family and friends who have got your back. We are all here to support you.”
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said all South Australians will be barracking for the students.
“Your perseverance and resilience will stand you good stead for any future challenges that lay ahead,” he said.
“Exams are important but they don’t mean absolutely everything, so don’t stress too much because you have already succeeded.”
Written exams start on Tuesday with a group of languages, to be followed by the most popular subjects in the first week of November.
General mathematics has the highest enrolment, at 4026 students, followed by Biology.
All top ten subjects are the same as last year, with physics overtaking English literary studies but other rankings remaining the same.
In total, there will be 189 fewer students sitting at least one exam this year than in 2019 and 776 fewer than the most recent peak of 13,271 in 2017.
This year, exams in nine subjects will be conducted electronically, up from three subjects last year. These include biology, geography, modern history and psychology.
Australian Science and Mathematics School student Lamiya Skye said it was exciting and stressful to be going into the final stretch, particularly after the extraordinary year.
“It is stressful because I’m writing four exams,” said Lamiya who will sit mathematics, chemistry, psychology and physics.
She’s hoping that a little of the pressure will be eased because she has applied to Flinders University under a special scheme based on year 11 results.
She hopes to get into paramedics, biomechanical engineering or chemical engineering.
The Flinders offers are expected before the end of the month, following similar offers made by Adelaide University – with both contingent on students passing year 12.
The Australian Science and Mathematics School also has an arrangement with Flinders for offers based on a portfolio of work.
Principal Jayne Heath said almost all of her school’s students had applied through those avenues or a uniTEST open to all SA students.
“Our students are empowering themselves in response to the pandemic, taking a proactive approach aligned with the school’s emphasis on self-directed learning,” she said.
SACE BOARD chief executive Martin Westwell urged students to focus and be calm when given their question papers.
“When you open that exam paper and look at the questions, your first response will likely be an emotional response,” he said.
You might feel like you’re not going to be able to answer any of these questions, disappointed that the question you prepared for isn’t there, or pleased that there is a question on this, and not one on that.
“Let the emotion go and engage your thinking. You probably know more than you think you do. Don’t try and remember the notes you made, try and think about what you are being asked, how you can construct a response and show what you know.”
The SACE Board has had to make special arrangements this year for international students who have been stuck overseas because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
“We are drawing on the international networks of the SACE Board and other government agencies to make arrangements,” Prof Westwell said.
“This might be at schools in the SACE International program, universities, Australian consulates, or other suitable venues.”
Among students sitting an exam on Tuesday will be Alexandria Manic – the only person tackling Romanian.
The Marryatville High student also will be the first to take Romanian since 2015.
Her family migrated to Australia from Moldova when she was aged six.
“I grew up here,” Alexandria said.
“I speak English better than Romanian, but my mum and dad speak Romanian.
“As a Latin language, it’s very easy for me to understand French, Italian, Spanish and the other romance languages. It’s quite helpful in that respect.”
She studied through the Romanian Ethnic School, which meets on Saturdays under the tutelage of Viorica Papuc, a teacher at St Michael’s College, in Henley Beach.
“We have primary and secondary students learning Romanian,” Ms Papuc said.
“I taught the last student who did the Year 12 exam, she did very well.”
About 100 students start their written exams today, with languages such as Persian, Hindi and Sinhala among those to be tested.
Two students will take Turkish and Alexandria will not be the only one going solo – there are also solitary students in Malay and Croatian.
Alexandria, 18, aims to study health and medical science at university next year.
Her message to fellow Year 12s is “bun noroc” – that is Romanian for good luck.
MOST POPULAR SUBJECTS
General maths.............4026
Biology...................... 3152
Maths methods...........2997
Psychology..................2464
Chemistry....................1927
Physics..........................1697
English literary studies...1647
Essential maths.............1338
Modern history.............1216
Specialist maths...........1009
Note: Subjects in SACE Stage 2 with 20 credits and an exam.