Schools prepare for an HSC like no other.Credit:Wolter Peeters
Masks will be allowed,wipes and hand sanitiser will be provided and,if a student displays a symptom during the exam,it must be"acted upon quickly",the NSW Department of Education told principals in guidelines issued on Wednesday.
"The student must be asked to leave the examination centre/room and arrange for a COVID-19 test."
If they have a known illness involving COVID-like symptoms,they need to organise a letter from their doctor beforehand.
Those with symptoms such as a cough,sore throat or shortness of breath will be told to skip the exam,get a COVID-test – which will be marked URGENT-HSC,so results can be fast-tracked – and self-isolate at home. Their final marks will be based on a moderated assessment.
There will also be fewer students inside the exam room than usual;within the public school system,no more than 75 desks will be allowed in any gym or hall,so nearby classrooms may have to be emptied and cleaned to accommodate the overflow.
The smaller number not only reduces the potential spread of COVID-19,but also allows for faster contact tracing if a student is found to have the virus. The exam rooms will be cleaned afterwards,and the papers will be collected by only one person,the presiding officer.