COVID-19 has brought the greatest disruption to education in generations, but the lessons learned about technology and students' ability to work independently could have major implications for how students are taught in the future, said NSW Department of Education secretary Mark Scott.

His comments came as the country's education ministers discussed changes to the way the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank could be calculated and presented, amid uncertainty about whether year 12 exams will still go ahead this year.

Across NSW, about 90 per cent of public school students are doing their lessons off campus after the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, last week called on parents to keep students at home if possible for the rest of the term, and teachers scrambled to prepare remote lessons.

The forced shift to remote learning could have major implications for the way students learn once the COVID-19 crisis is over. Credit:iStock

It is unclear whether that system will continue when term two resumes in NSW in late April, or if there will be further closures because transmission of the virus is more widespread.