Covid 19 coronavirus: University agrees to admit some students without admission to university due to Covid closures

The University of Auckland will admit non-university students next year if they have been severely affected by the Covid-19 shutdowns, but their professors believe they can cope with university studies.

The university’s vice chancellor, Professor Dawn Freshwater, has written to the principals of Auckland’s secondary schools, assuring them that good students can still go to university despite missing nearly nine weeks of school in the two closures in the region. this year.

The school’s principals and seniors are relieved by the gesture.

Luke Orbell, principal at Manurewa High School, where only 58 percent of students have returned after the latest lockdown, said he was unable to submit any work in two of his subjects during the increased restrictions.

“I think it will relieve people’s stress a lot. It definitely relieves my stress.”

The president of the Association of Secondary Principals, Deidre Shea, said that it is “encouraging” that universities understand the problems facing students this year.

“They will be listening to us if we say that this particular person may or may not achieve the required qualifications, but we recommend them as ready and appropriate for this course,” he said.

Some South Auckland principals have called for external examinations for the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in Auckland to be removed this year and to allow teachers to “derive” grades from students’ previous work.

Auckland Secondary School Heads Association President Steve Hargreaves wants to keep the exams, but says Auckland students should be allowed up to four additional “bonus” credits in addition to the eight bonus credits available for all NCEA levels 2 and 3 students this year after the national lockdown between March and May.

When asked about the calls from principals, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said: “We are constantly looking at that … we are always getting feedback.”

The University of Auckland announced after the first lockdown that it would “place a greater emphasis on year 12 results than in the past” and that it would no longer require “rank scores” from the NCEA to enter specific courses.

All New Zealand universities also agreed that by 2021 they would not enforce the normal rule that students who take at least six months in year 13 cannot apply for “discretionary entry” based on their year 12 results.

Freshwater told principals that “these changes, along with the NZQA’s change to the college entrance requirement, will allow students on track to access college in 2021, to do so, despite COVID-related disruptions. -19 “.

“But we are also aware that there may be a small number of students whose study program has been so affected by Covid-19 that they are unlikely to meet these modified requirements by 2021,” he wrote.

“For these students, we are open to considering a recommendation from you regarding their suitability for university study.”

He said the university will soon announce preparatory programs for students to take over for the summer if they have not achieved university entrance (EU) or specific requirements for their chosen courses.

Janny Jones, another Year 13 student from Manurewa High School who wants to study engineering at the University of Auckland next year, said she was not sure she could meet all the prerequisites.

“I need to spend time,” he said. “I personally have that time, but I know that, speaking on behalf of my school, a lot of people don’t.”

Florence Folasa, also in Year 13 at Manurewa, wants to study social work next year, but said the closings had undermined her confidence.

“We have lost confidence in ourselves. We all doubt ourselves, that we may not be able to follow our chosen paths.”

Luke Orbell, who wants to go to acting school at Unitec or Wellington, said he hadn’t been able to present any assessment work in two of his subjects, theater and media studies, all year.

“Those topics are practical, you need access to equipment and you need to work with people, so it has been incredibly difficult,” he said.

But she said teachers were offering after-school tutoring, and she plans to work over the next school holidays rehearsing a theater performance with other students for which she hopes to earn 10 credits in the first week of next term.

“I definitely have a good relationship with my teachers as well because they work hard for you,” he said.

“I feel like it’s important that you have good relationships with your professors because they know that if you work hard you deserve to go to college.”

Victoria University of Wellington also removed rank score requirements after the first lockout.

University of Waikato Associate Vice Chancellor Professor Robyn Longhurst said that students who are not making it to college this year “should certainly contact our admissions team, who will be able to offer advice and support on admission options. study, including discretionary entry, depending on your circumstances. ” “.

“We also offer a bridge program, Jump tart, which is a summer course that helps students advance in their studies or get additional support,” he said.

Massey University said that 2020 “has been a difficult year for students of all skill levels, and in particular for those studying the NCEA in Auckland schools which were forced to close twice this year. We strongly believe this should not affect a student’s ability to enter tertiary studies. “

The University of Canterbury said it could also provide discretionary entry based on NCEA Level 2 results or provisional admission with the opportunity to complete NCEA make-up credits.