Wales' GCSE, AS and A-level exams in summer 2021 are to be cancelled, with grades based on classroom assessments.
Education Minister Kirsty Williams said it was impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams due to the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic.
Head teachers would work on a "national approach" to ensure consistency, she said.
Assessments will be done under teacher supervision, and will begin in the second half of the spring term.
They will be externally set and marked but delivered within the classroom.
Today I’m pleased to confirm Wales’ approach for qualifications in 2021.
It is my intention there will be no end of year GCSEs, AS levels or A levels exams.
Full details available here: https://t.co/1Bzc4pHJG7 pic.twitter.com/HZXNoInlJl
— Kirsty Williams (@wgmin_education) November 10, 2020
She added cancelling exams would also give time for teaching to continue through the summer term.
Teachers would have flexibility on when to take the assessments, within the "context of results timelines".
However one teaching union questioned whether the announcement would mean ending up with "exams by stealth".
Why have the exams been cancelled?
Confirming the decision, Ms Williams said: "The wellbeing of learners and ensuring fairness across the system is central in our decision making process.
"We remain optimistic that the public heath situation will improve, but the primary reason for my decision is down to fairness; the time learners will spend in schools and colleges will vary hugely and, in this situation, it is impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams to take place.
"We have consulted with universities across the UK and they have confirmed that they are used to accepting many different types of qualifications."
Ms Williams said it remained a "highly challenging year" but the announcement would remove pressures from learners and provide "clear time for teaching and learning".
What do students think?
A-level student Cerys Harris, 17, from Rhyl, has already had four weeks of self-isolation this term because of cases in her "bubble".
She wants to go to start a degree next September in England.
Although the education minister has said universities across the UK have confirmed they are "used to accepting many different types of qualifications", Cerys said she did not feel reassured, and was looking forward to more detail as to how the system is going to work.
"I've taken from [the announcement] that exams are cancelled, but it's not very straightforward," she told BBC Wales.
Fellow Rhyl A-level student Jonathon Dawes, who studies at Coleg Cambria and is also a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament, said he welcomed the decision, but was looking forward to getting more detail.
"I'm looking forward to more guidance coming out to make sure it's as fair and transparent as possible, to make sure pupils get the grades they deserve and it's not different from school to school."
'The right decision for young people'
Exam regulator Qualifications Wales, which advised the minister on her decision, said: "We recognise this has been a difficult decision and there are no easy answers. We are considering the decision and what it could mean in practice.
"In the meantime, we will provide advice to the Independent Design and Delivery Advisory Group."
Children's Commissioner Sally Holland said Ms Williams had made the right decision.
She said: "This should be a year of learning, not worry. Young people should now rest assured that the decision will enable them to work towards their qualifications."
Her words were echoed by Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, who said it would maximise "fairness" for students.
""This is the right decision for our young people," she added.
"It recognises the fact that they will have been affected to differing extents by the impact of the pandemic and it allows for as much teaching time as possible to catch-up with lost learning."
But the head of the school leaders' union NAHT raised concerns of ending up with "exams by stealth".
Ruth Davies said: "It has been announced that pupils will still be given externally set and marked tests, just in the classroom.
"We can't see how that isn't an exam. There is an awful lot of detail still to be determined, and we await further clarification, but we are worried we will end up with exams in all but name."
Who was consulted over the decision?
The 2020 exams were cancelled following the start of the first lockdown and results were eventually based on teacher-predicted grades.
Ms Williams said her decision for the 2021 exams came after she considered detailed advice from Qualifications Wales on available options as well as interim findings of a review of the 2020 exam process.
She also spoke to students, school and college leaders, universities and the children's commissioner.
She said: "In line with the recommendations of both Qualifications Wales and the Independent Review, there will be no exams for GCSE or AS level learners next year.
"A-level students will also not be required to sit exams."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiLGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLXdhbGVzLTU0ODg4Mzc20gEwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3VrLXdhbGVzLTU0ODg4Mzc2?oc=5
2020-11-10 12:31:00Z
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