Alberta students exempt from writing November diploma exams: Province

The Alberta legislature can be seen in Edmonton, Alberta. (CTV News Edmonton)

Diploma exams scheduled in November for high school students across Alberta are now optional, the provincial government said in a media release on Friday.

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The announcement comes amid a province-wide strike by Alberta teachers, who on Friday rejected the United Conservative Party government’s request to end it and to go through enhanced mediation.

The province said students who don’t write next month’s diploma exams won’t be negatively affected. It said students are automatically exempted from writing them but can request to do them.

The province said students who don’t write diploma exams in November will not have their status affected when it comes to applying for post-secondary education, adding no changes have been made for January or June diploma exams.