Pupils whose exam results were treated more leniently during lockdown did less well in university than their fellow students, the education ministry has said in an evaluation.

In 2021 and 2022, pupils who had trouble following lessons online were given extra opportunities to improve their results, including the exclusion of one subject from the final school-leaving exam tally.

The research shows university students whose results were given a boost because of coronavirus dropped out twice as often as their peers and were twice as likely to switch degree subjects. Vocational students whose results were treated leniently also did less well.

“It is not always a good thing to lower standards,” the education ministry said. “We must take into consideration that these students were less prepared when starting their follow-up education.”

The ministry said that the extra investment into education had paid off in other ways, with 8% of students reporting study delays as a consequence of the pandemic compared to 32% in 2022.

Students’s mental health also improved, from 23% saying they still had difficulty coping in 2022 to 13% in 2025.