Dear Daniel Andrews,

I am a student studying year 12 at Clonard College in Geelong. We are witnessing and experiencing firsthand the horrific impact of COVID-19 on our education. This is why we think there should be some changes to the current education system so we can complete year 12 and our school life with a positive outcome.

The ATAR system, as well as exams, has negatively effected student’s mental health for many years. Headspace’s student survey reveals that the following mental health issues impacted student study  in the past 12 months: thoughts of self-harm or suicide: 35.4 per cent, feeling stressed: 83.2 per cent, lack of energy or motivation: 82.1 per cent, feeling anxious: 79.0 per cent, low mood: 75.8 per cent, feelings of hopelessness/worthlessness: 59.2 per cent, trouble sleeping: 55.6 per cent, panic: 52.7 per cent. Considering the current state of Victoria, it is safe to assume that these rates will be severely increased this year. I can personally reinforce that both myself and many of my peers have experienced a lack of motivation and high levels of depression due to COVID-19 and trying to study throughout the year.

I believe if COVID-19 rates continue to inflate as they currently are, the possibility of Melbourne venturing into stage four lockdown should be considered, without having to close all regional Victorian schools that are not experiencing any direct COVID-19 effects. Regional schools may continue face to face learning, while metro Melbourne can return to online learning, receiving the same education as face to face students without the stress of being unprepared for exams. This would be beneficial as there will no longer be a state-wide competition that is required to get into university. The closure of Melbourne schools could hopefully aid with defeating community transmission of the virus.

In terms of university, I propose entrance exams or folio submissions for courses, to keep all entries fair and level. Applicants may also use year 12 SAC scores accompanied by GAT scores to gain a holistic understanding of the student’s academic capabilities. Coursework may be referred to in order to aid their submission and give the university more background on the student.