The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research proposes annulling the Baccalaureate exams and issuing diplomas of study based on average annual grades for lyceum studies, Minister Igor Sharov was quoted by IPN as saying in a press briefing.

According to the minister, the diploma will have the same legal value for the national and foreign higher education establishments, if a relevant Parliament decision is adopted. The diploma will be issued by July 5, 2020 at the latest. The elimination of the risk of infection with COVID-19 is the advantage of such a scenario.

Among other scenarios taken into account by the Ministry, which could yet endanger the life and health of students, teachers and other persons involved in the organization and holding of exams, was the taking of exams at Baccalaureate centers, with video monitoring, in the own education institutions or online. The disadvantages of online examination include the impossibility of identifying the person who sits the exam at home and the absence of specialized software for organizing the exam this year.

“The team of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research assumes a realistic perspective based on data and evidence and the approach to the current situation is based on the axiom that all the actions of the education system should center on the health of children and teachers and avoidance of contamination with the coronavirus,” stated Igor Sharov.

There are over 17,000 Baccalaureate exam candidates this year.