The state’s Higher School Certificate students will today sit the first of two compulsory English exams.

The Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth, said a total of 64,509* students were enrolled in English courses in 2008.

“For most of the state’s HSC students this is the first day of the exams and I would like to give them my best wishes,” Ms Firth said.

“It is pleasing to see that almost half (43 per cent) of the students are undertaking the demanding 2 unit course, English (Advanced).

“The study of English is central to the learning and development of students. Proficiency enables students to take their place as confident, articulate communicators, and active participants in our modern society.

“This is why English has always been a compulsory Higher School Certificate subject,” said Ms Firth.

Fifty percent of the students’ English HSC assessment has already been completed through school based assessments.

Today’s paper tests students on a reading exercise, a writing task and a response to a prescribed text.

English, Metal and Engineering (VET), Japanese Beginners and Japanese Continuers exams will be held this afternoon.

Ms Firth said more than 10,500 students had visited Students Online in the past seven days while 532 pupils had called the HSC Advice Line for advice on English in the past four days.

Students can access past papers, multiple choice quizzes and their own timetable by logging into studentsonline.bos.nsw.edu.au and entering their student number and personal identification number (PIN).

Expert advice on 26 major courses is available from the HSC Advice Line on 13 11 12.

*A total of 67,931 students are sitting for HSC exams. A proportion of those students have completed their HSC English course through acceleration or will complete it in future years.