The New South Wales government has apologised to year 12 students after a “human error” resulted in an incorrect date being printed on HSC certificates.
The NSW Education Standards Authority printed at the bottom of every student’s certificate that they were “Issued by NESA without alteration or erasure on 14th December 2017”.
The NSW education minister, Rob Stokes, expressed disappointment with the authority over the error and said new certificates would be printed and distributed.
“I am furious that the independent authority charged with running the HSC failed to give NSW students the respect their hard work and dedication deserves by getting something as simple as the date right on their certificate,” he said in a statement.
“I’ve made it clear to NESA that this needs to be corrected immediately and I understand reprinting is already under way.”
Labor’s education spokesman, Jihad Dib, said students had a right to feel let down.
“We asked 70 000 HSC students to give their best last year,” he wrote on Twitter. “What do what they get in return? A Gov that can’t even get the year on the official HSC Certificate correct. They are right to feel disappointed and let down.”
We asked 70 000 HSC students to give their best last year. What do what they get in return? A Gov that can’t even get the year on the official HSC Certificate correct. They are right to feel disappointed and let down. pic.twitter.com/O1dfkYKMpK
— Jihad Dib MP (@jihaddibmp) January 22, 2019
A NESA spokesman said students would receive new certificates next week.
“[The authority] apologises unreservedly to every student who has mistakenly received their 2018 Higher School Certificate in the mail displaying an incorrect date of issue,” the spokesman said.
“The Higher School Certificate is a globally recognised qualification and all students in the class of 2018 will receive an accurate certificate to celebrate their achievement.”
Last year, Tasmanian school leavers were left reeling after a human error resulted in a miscalculation of their university entrance scores.
