The School Certificate was a qualification issued by the Board of Studies, typically at the end of Year 10.
Each course was also supposed to include a degree of computer use, so students became familiar with that technology.
In his 1997 report "Shaping their future", Professor Barry McGaw was highly critical of the School Certificate.
His report noted several deficiencies in the School Certificate, including: Professor McGaw recommended that the School Certificate be abolished and replaced, for students leaving school, with a statement of achievement which would include each student’s results on statewide tests in literacy and numeracy as well as school-based results in all courses completed in Year 10.
[1] Despite Professor McGaw's recommendations, the New South Wales government remained committed to the School Certificate, though major changes were made to its structure and timing in order to address some of the concerns listed above.