Secondary school leaving exam rules will be less stringent again this year with students allowed to drop one subject from their list, the education ministry has said.

Although schools are having to cope with fewer lockdown measures this year, quarantine rules mean they are experiencing a ‘far from normal’ school year, education minister Dennis Wiersma said.

Wiersma had already said a more flexible timetable for sitting the exams will remain in place and that students will also be given two opportunities for resits.

The first exam period is between May 12 and May 30 followed by a second period between June 13 and 25. The resits have been scheduled between July 5 and 8.