Chemistry fails to work in exam

The Matsec board said it acknowledges, despite careful checks prior to the printing of the examination papers, that there was a mistake in one of the questions of the first paper of the Advanced level examination in chemistry held yesterday.

In the seventh question, which carried six per cent towards the final mark, the chemical ethanol as printed should have read 1-butanol. This error made the question unworkable.

The board said it regrets the error and informed the candidates that the full marks allotted to the question will be awarded to all candidates.

Comments

Robert Delia (on 15/5/08)

This is not the first time that such mistakes have happened. Apart from the comments mentioned by other fellow readers, the biggest shame is that these mistakes continue being made, yet the same people are involved in formulating and correcting the papers. Let's face it, there has never been an external call for application in the media for anyone who would be interested in contributing to the Matsec examination papers in one way or another. I am speaking from the point of view of one who has expressed interest with the Matsec Unit on quite a few occasions to be able to contribute in one way or another to the Matsec examinations as I believe that being a fully qualified teacher with over 15 years teaching experience in a particular subject, I have the necessary prerequisites. Alas, I am still without any reply until this present day on my expression of interest.

p. vassallo (on 14/5/08)

But what about the time these students wasted trying to answer this incorrect question? I'm quite certain that they spent more time trying to figure out what ethanol had to do with the question, than they would have should there have been 1-butanol. Will the Matsec board not take that into consideration? Wil the students who sat for that exam not be compensated for their loss of time due to this mistake? Will the Matsec board not be held accountable for this mistake?

Shame on the Matsec board.

S.Casolani (on 14/5/08)

Quite unacceptable at this level. Obviously, the proof reading was done in a cursory manner without due thought or diligence. If one of those creating the exam paper had tried working the questions set, they would have surely realised their error (one hopes!).

P Sultana (on 14/5/08)

What incompetence! Interested in what action is being taken to avoid similar situations in future.

George Saliba (on 14/5/08)

sorry, but an apology is not just good enough. this is not the first time these things happened and the students informed the invigilators that there was a mistake in the paper and yet when they phoned the Matsec board they were told to continue as there were no mistakes. this has put great stress on students who have been working hard for the last couple of years.

Who is responsible for this serious error? Is he going to be punished or is an apology enough?

Should we go back to Oxford Exams? I do not rememebr these repeated errors in my Oxford years

If not action is taken, then shame on the Matsec Board the University and the Ministry of Education