Last week the state government, through Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli, announced quite a dramatic overhaul of the HSC system.

Year 9 students will now have to meet the new standard with a minimum of band 8 results when they sit NAPLAN tests.

This is across both literacy and numeracy.

Obviously the idea is to ensure students aren’t just coasting along and not really performing to the best of their ability.

It is understandable the government wants to make sure those that earn their HSC and ready to either head out into the work force or university equipped with sufficient skills and knowledge.

However, what is concerning is the possible increase on stress level for these students.

Unnecessary stress shouldn’t be placed on students at any age.

If you were to go ask the average year 12 student today what their thoughts were on the HSC and how they were feeling, the majority would tell you they are “freaking out”.

So much pressure is already placed on these exams.

Thinking back to my time completing the HSC the attitude from teachers was essentially “do or die”.

Fail the HSC and it was game over.

This certainly isn’t the right attitude to be taking, considering it’s really not a life or death situation.

Sure, it’s all well and good to get the marks required to attend university, but if that isn’t achieved, it’s not the end of the world.

There are so many options out there today for young people and good ones at that.

Students shouldn’t be made to feel a failure if they decide not to attend university and choose to take up a job when leaving school.

It is towns like Leeton that need these young people to stay here to live and work.

How else will the shire prosper in the years ahead?

It’s essential students are encouraged to stay in the towns they have studied in.

I remember and, I’m quite certain the sentiment still exists, that staying in your home town after school was deemed a joke and failure.

That is not true at all. My advice would be work hard and do what makes you happy.