Auckland teenagers are citing exhaustion, being busy, and strategic thinking as reasons for skipping some or even all of their NCEA exams.
The exams began today and in Auckland, Northland and Waikato, students who miss one will get an unexpected event grade instead.
The rule recognises the extreme pressure many students have been under, especially in Auckland where schools were forced to shut in the middle of August.
Here's our education correspondent, John Gerritsen.