NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes has scrapped the state's most controversial education policy and will no longer force year 9 students to score three band 8s in NAPLAN to qualify for the HSC.

The change, which parents and many principals and teachers demanded, will mean that NAPLAN results from year 9 will not be linked to a student being awarded their HSC.

Last year was the first time the policy, introduced by former education minister Adrian Piccoli, was in place and almost 70 per cent of year 9 students did not meet the requirements.

NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes has scrapped one of the government's most controversial education policies. Credit:Brook Mitchell

NSW had a lift in year 9 NAPLAN results in 2017, but many warned it was a "sugar hit" and the improvements were a result of schools preparing their students for the test.