The number of HSC students taking extension English courses has plummeted in the past two decades, with more pupils now studying the hardest maths course than English at any extension level.

Teachers say the decline is being driven by multiple factors, including a decades-long push towards STEM subjects, concerns about subjectivity in marking essays, and teenagers reading less.

A snapshot of HSC figures shows 3723 students are taking extension 1 English this year, down from 6286 enrolled in the course two decades ago. Enrolments in the English extension 2 course, which involves a major work, tumbled over the same time from 2609 to 1426.

A record number of school-leavers are taking biology and business studies, with both courses eclipsing 20,000 students for the first time. About 5700 st

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