Fewer provincial exams, more in-class assessment for B.C. next year

High school students will be required to write only two provincial exams instead of five

The Canadian Press

High school students will be required to write only two provincial exams instead of five before they graduate as part of a new curriculum being rolled out in B.C.

Education Minister Mike Bernier said math and literacy will be the only skills to be formally tested starting in the next school year.

Teachers will assess Grade 10 science and language arts and Grade 11 social studies in the classroom instead of through provincial exams.

Bernier said that between June and October, parents will be consulted on how they wish to be informed about their child’s progress other than every few months through a report card.

He said students will also be required to take career education to graduate starting in the 2017-2018 school year.

Some parents have criticized the new curriculum, saying students need more foundational math skills, for example, but Bernier said the focus will remain on the basics of reading, writing and math.

 

Barriere Star Journal