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Dan Cook / RNZ
The exception to testing at level 3 would be if a school was involved in an outbreak of Covid-19 cases.
This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
The NCEA and Scholarship exams can continue even at alert level 3, confirmed the Ministry of Education.
The ministry has told schools that end-of-year exams can be taken at levels 1-3, but not at level 4.
Principals had previously told RNZ they were concerned that a Level 3 lockdown would prevent some or all schools from taking exams scheduled to begin in November.
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“Principals will always welcome some assurance about these things,” said Post Elementary Teachers Association Chairman of the Board of Directors James Morris.
He said it was good to know what the rules were.
“In general, principals are very interested, and schools are very interested in having their students there and on the exams and that the students work as normally as possible.”
Secondary Principals Association president Deidre Shea said principals would generally support the decision to allow exams at level 3.
He said the challenge would be the logistics of complying with the level 3 rules.
Information from the ministry says that schools conducting exams during alert level 3 should check students for symptoms as they arrive and make sure candidates are sitting at least 1.5 meters apart.
Schools would also have to disinfect surfaces like door handles and desks, and make sure students stay at least 1 meter apart when they arrive and wait to enter an exam room.
However, he said face masks are not required in an alert level 3 exam.
He said that at any alert level, schools could not conduct tests if they were involved in an outbreak or cluster of Covid-19 cases and students could not attend tests if they were unwell or were a close contact of a case confirmed.
This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
