Opposition demands action to prevent exam paper mistakes

The opposition spokesman for education has demanded action to avoid mistakes in Matsec exam papers, which, he warned, could deny the exams system its credibility.

Carmelo Abela referred to the mistake in the Chemistry A level paper earlier this week and asked whether checking of the paper had been made beforehand, and what action had been taken since against those responsible.

He said that while the remedy given for the mistake was justified, action needed to be taken to avoid a repetition of this mistake, not least because of the added stress this caused the exam candidates and their parents.

Mr Abela also asked what had become of the Matsec reform reports presented a few months ago.

Comments

Jacques René Zammit (on 16/5/08)

Bingo. And the winner is... Charles Camilleri. Which also answers a question I have long had in my head? Do people read other comments before submitting their own?

Charles Camilleri (on 15/5/08)

For a minute i thought that Carmelo Abela was referring to the mistakes in Labour's Electoral programme.

c. bezzina (on 15/5/08)

N. Warren- the problem is that MATSEC never learns. Mistakes repeat themseves year in year out.

Bezzina C (on 15/5/08)

Intermediate Graphical Communication and Engineering Drawing Question no 5 cannot be worked. Dimension in question 1 and angle in question 2 missing. It looks as though the questions were not worked out before hand
Very Stressful, time wasting and unfair on the candidates.

Nicholas Warren (on 15/5/08)

well said Jacques... and I would like to add a few comments myself

1. Why do we have to have politics involved in everything... grow up people (i.e. politicians) and lets talk about serious issues;
2. parents and students alike - grow up as well, you cannot be pampered for eternity... you need to face the harsh realities of life
3. well done matsec board for being humble and admitting your mistake. now learn from your lesson and try to ensure that this does not repeat itself once more.

Jacques René Zammit (on 15/5/08)

J'accuse Comment Prediction Service:

Nationalist sympathiser adding comment that a party that publishes an Electoral Manifesto full of mistakes should mind its own business (EVENS)

Use of the expression "people in glasshouses" (2/1)

Labourite sympathiser accusing nationalist of insensitivity to educational needs of children under stress and of politicising education matters (5/1)

Use of words "reception class" just after "politicisation (8/3)

somebody quotiing Pope "to err is human, to forgive divine" and dismissing political innuendos (99/3)

Warning: Gambling is addictive and can be harmful to your pocket.

Meanwhile, in the real world it will take us some time to acknowledge that yes, mistakes in an exam paper should (must) be avoided. That such mistakes do not do any good to minimising the stress faced by students in exams. But most of all... that in any case although it is an important matter that can be dealt with with extra checking and double checking it is still not a case that merits a pot and kettle argument of the partisan kind.