Grade 12 provincial final exams no longer happening in Manitoba
From a pandemic pause to a permanent practice, Grade 12 students in Manitoba are no longer having to take final exams.
The province confirmed to CTV News Winnipeg that final exams for English, French and math classes have all stopped and haven’t been taken since January 2020.
The St. James-Assiniboia School Division said in a statement that the final week when exams were to usually take place, has now been replaced with an extra week of learning and final projects are to be scheduled for that week. The division said exams accounted for 25 to 30 per cent of a student’s final grade.
The Winnipeg School Division said the final week will now be used for final assessments and how the assessment is done is determined by each school.
Matt Henderson, the assistant superintendent with the Seven Oaks School Division said the switch to project-based learning prepares students for different kinds of careers.
“We want to make sure that learners are academically prepared in all sorts of ways. That there is sense of mastery, that they’ve mastered content and skills. There’s a sense of identity, that they have been inducted into the adult world through passionate educators so they see themselves as a mathematician, so they see themselves as a chef, they see themselves as a high performance athlete” he said. “We also want to ensure that learners are able to produce something that wasn’t there before, we call that creativity.”
Henderson feels exams are in place to check if the school system is actually working and are not actually preparing kids for the future.
“We know it’s the feedback and not a number or a grade or a stamp on a paper that’s actually going to push learning forward.”
Horace Luong, the associate dean of student experience at the University of Manitoba said mental health struggles are also common themes during exams as students deal with testing anxiety.
Even though Grade 12 exams are ending, the province said it is working with educators to create a new Grade 10 evaluation process.
“More information will be available once communication flows to education stakeholders, which is planned shortly,” a spokesperson for the province said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Solar storm puts on brilliant light show across the globe, but no serious problems reported
A powerful solar storm put on an amazing skyward light show across the globe overnight but has caused what appeared to be only minor disruptions to the electric power grid, communications and satellite positioning systems.
Potentially toxic chemicals hide in our drinking water and countless household objects, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
'It was violent': Police tear down U of A pro-Palestinian encampment Saturday morning
Multiple people at the protest camp torn down at the University of Alberta campus Saturday say police's actions against protesters were "violent" and "disproportionate."
'Increased fire activity' expected for Fort Nelson, B.C., blaze
A wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., that forced thousands to flee their homes grew almost 800 hectares overnight Saturday, according to officials.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Nigeria's fashion and dancing styles in the spotlight as Harry, Meghan visit its largest city
Nigeria's fashion and traditional dances were at full display on Sunday as Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in its largest city, Lagos, as part of their three-day visit to the country to promote mental health for soldiers and empower young people.
Montreal man facing charges following contraband drone drop at Millhaven: OPP
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says a 40-year-old man from Montreal is facing charges following a suspected drone drop of unauthorized items at the Millhaven Institution.