Junior Lyceum exam review launched

Education Minister Louis Galea yesterday launched a review of the examination system at the end of primary school, commonly known as the Junior Lyceum exam for state secondary schools and the common entrance exam in the case of Church schools.

A working group, chaired by Grace Grima, is expected to start its work immediately and has until next May to come up with recommendations on any changes that may be necessary, Dr Galea said.

Frank Ventura, Peter Vassallo, Leonard Grech, Bernie Mizzi and Charles Mallia also sit on the working group that should consult with major stakeholders - including schoolchildren - to make informed recommendations.

Dr Galea said the reform was another crucial link in the "chain of reform" the ministry is carrying out in the whole system in a bid to maintain and even raise quality in schools. He emphasised the need to review a system which has remained unchanged for the past 25 years.

"It would be unwise if one were to eliminate any form of examination for 11 year-olds, be it in the Junior Lyceum or the common entrance examination, and not replace it with a benchmarking system that shows what level of skills acquisition a child has achieved," Dr Galea said.

The strategic plan of the national curriculum called for a review of the assessment process used in the transition from primary to secondary school, aimed at reviewing the rationale of the exam and the educational context in which it operates, including a comparative study of mechanisms of other European systems.

The working group is expected to study the impact of the exam on teaching and learning in the second part of primary school as well as secondary school.

"The aim is to determine the appropriateness of this examination and how it is performing as a selective mechanism," Dr Galea said. Once the exercise is carried out, the working group will make recommendations with regard to the soundness of this exam and suggest possible alternatives.