Final exams being reintroduced to Grade 9 and 10 students in Waterloo school boards

Grade 9 and Grade 10 students in Waterloo Region will soon have to write final exams. CTV’s Ashley Bacon takes a look at what’s behind the change.

Some young high school students in Waterloo Region will once again be writing end of semester exams.

The Waterloo Region District School Board and Waterloo Catholic District School Board both said they will be reintroducing final exams this school year as an option for Grade 9 and Grade 10 students.

“Giving them the real-world experience of examinations, which many of them will end up experiencing when they go into Grade 11, [Grade] 12 and then eventually post-secondary [school],” Lema Salaymeh, senior manager of communications with Waterloo Catholic District School Board, said.

While schools grappled with restrictions due to COVID-19 lockdowns, many end of semester exams were cancelled. Now, five years later, school boards and the province are looking at ways to bring back the routine testing.

“By bringing these back, these evaluation days and scheduling them, we also believe it will be better for our student well-being and for their achievement,” Scott Miller, director of educations with the Waterloo Region District School Board, said.

Community feedback was a factor in the decision.

Currently, a percentage of students’ final grades are made up of “culminating activities.”

“It can be an essay or a series of different things, and an exam is one of those options that can be added but can only amount to up to 10 per cent of their grade” Salaymeh said.

Some students CTV News spoke with felt that bringing back the exams would put a significant amount of stress on them.

“I think that’s too much pressure, especially with kids who have really bad anxiety issues or things that are going on at home,” one student said. “I think it’s just too much pressure.”

Education Minister Paul Calandra supported exams as an option.

“Student achievement is paramount and preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow requires proper assessment,” an email from Calandra’s office said. “Our government is reviewing the exam policy across the province to ensure consistency and strength achievement. We will continue to support student success and provide teachers with the resources they need.”