More than 60,000 students are on track to receive their HSC this year, including 879 sets of twins, with Japanese remaining the most popular language in 2020, the HSC Enrolment Snapshot revealed today.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell released the snapshot and encouraged students and parents to engage with the upgraded HSC wellbeing support campaign.
Ms Mitchell said HSC students would finish their classes next week and turn their focus to exam preparation, marking the end of a 13-year schooling career.
"I know the final year of school was not what the Class of 2020 had in mind, yet the resilience of HSC students in the face of uncertainty has been extraordinary, and I am incredibly proud of what this cohort has achieved," Ms Mitchell said.
The enrolment data shows that of the 2020 HSC students, 49,825 live in metro NSW, with another 26,135 living in regional and remote areas. This year 39,410 young women and 36,900 young men are studying at least one HSC course.
There are 879 sets of twins and 23 sets of triplets, with Castle Hill High School alone having seven sets of twins sitting their exams this year.
Japanese remains the most popular language while Chinese in Context increased by 29 per cent from 2019.
The new mathematics extension two course has seen an eight per cent growth since its introduction in 2019.
In response to the pandemic, Ms Mitchell also announced today that the NSW Government is continuing to increase its wellbeing support to students sitting their HSC during the pandemic.
"With the HSC written exams starting on October 20, we are continuing to remind students to look after their mental health, recognise their resilience and reduce anxiety around the HSC, as part of the Stay Healthy HSC campaign,” Ms Mitchell said.
The student-focused initiative, originally launched in May as a partnership with Reachout Australia, is stepping up with the launch of a new hub and social initiatives to connect students, schools, and families with more information on looking after their wellbeing.
"Your teachers are incredible, and your school is full of people who will support you. Never be afraid to put up your hand and ask for help,” Ms Mitchell said.
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the hub was a fantastic one-stop shop for students looking for tools and resources to cope with the additional stress of going through their HSC.
“This resource draws some fantastic information together in one place as well as providing links to extra help if they are really struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.”
Ashley de Silva, CEO of ReachOut, said that COVID-19 has thrown a range of challenges at HSC students, during what is usually a challenging time of their lives.
“We’ve heard from young people that disruption and uncertainty caused by COVID-19 has made it difficult to stay focused and manage stress.
“ReachOut has a range of support to help students stay positive, manage distractions, develop positive study habits and routines, self care, and stay connected. So if you’re struggling, help is available at our online study support hub and peer support forums.”