Nunavut Grade 12 students face 6-month wait to write English final exam

More than 100 Grade 12 students in the Kivalliq and Baffin regions ofNunavutwill have to wait months towrite their English Language Arts final exam after blizzards shut down the schools in several communities Wednesday.

The final exam makes up 30 per cent of a student's total mark. Nunavut's education department usesAlberta's standardized departmental exam, andthe test hasto be administered on specific dates at specific times as a precaution againststudents cheating.

Those rules don't take Arctic weather into account, like theblizzard conditions that shut schools in Arviat,RankinInlet, Baker Lake, Whale Cove, CapeDorsetandKimmirut on Wednesday,preventing101 students from takingthe exam as scheduled.

John MacDonald, Nunavut'sassistant deputy minister of Education,says thenext English Language Arts exam date will be in June.

He said hesympathizes with the students, but that there is nothing to be doneand they should look at the entire situation as a learning experience.

"I think it's indicative of real life," he said.

"By Grade 12 and when you're preparing for post-secondary and the labour market, life is often not fair. It's very unfortunate to say. Nobody can control the weather and in this instance we live in a place where blizzards happen on a regular basis."

Teachers acknowledge the next exam date beingmore than six months after course work was completed will be achallenge for students.

"We are discussing this and trying to figure outthe best way to support them in this situation," saidGary Kennedy,principal of JonahAmitnaaqschool in Baker Lake.

"Whether the opportunity comes for them to write it for April or June, it will be a challenge but we are going to support them the best we can."

Education officials say a special committee will help resolve any outstanding issues the students might face when applying for admission to post-secondary institutions.