Government to seek options to entrance exam system
As thousands of children started school yesterday, the government announced it will launch a consultation document aimed at exploring long-awaited alternatives to the current Junior Lyceum entrance examination system.
The document, to be published in mid-October, will address streaming, by which students are allocated to state junior lyceums or area secondary schools following a qualifying entrance examination. It is an issue that has long been debated and criticised primarily for increasing the stress levels of 11-year-old schoolchildren.
The consultation will form part of the process to revise the National Minimum Curriculum (NMC), which is due for updating.
The urgency for an overhaul of the system was raised again earlier this month during a business breakfast on education organised by the Nationalist Party, when the Prime Minister acknowledged the need for an in-depth look at streaming.
During the breakfast, one of the main authors of the NMC, Kenneth Wain, had said Junior Lyceum and common entrance examinations - determining entry for boys to Church secondary schools - should be "abandoned".
Early selection is discrimiatory and socially unjust, creates a culture of failure and de-motivation and is economically wasteful and socially divisive, he argued.
The need to change the streaming system was first broached formally in 1999 when Prof. Wain formed part of the commission that drew up the plan for the National Curriculum.
"It is a core value of our National Curriculum 1999 supported in principle by all our political parties and by Parliament through its Social Affairs Committee.
"Sadly, it is constantly betrayed by the state itself through its outdated schooling system. The government should be setting the example and abiding by the National Curriculum while the opposition should be taking it to task for not doing so.
"Instead we have this strange situation where both are playing blind or stupid and thousands of children are betrayed by the state school system every year," Prof. Wain wrote in an opinion peace published in this paper last month.
We need a system that assesses the child's skills and knowledge not the areas of ignorance, he told The Times.
"Minimising stress on children is essential to a quality education, not something to be distinguished from it, because education has personal and social purposes besides economic ones."
Building on these points, educational psychologist Juan Camilleri said failing in exams that are considered so important transmits a feeling of being a failure and a disappointment in oneself with potential negative effects on self-efficacy and self-esteem.
Moreover, a child's performance during an exam does not reflect the level of knowledge or IQ but is mainly dependent on memory ability.
"Some children can be technical learners and have good spatial abilities. Others still are very creative or confluent learners. But since all are expected to follow rigorous learning procedures and methods of studying knowledge in a demanding manner in view of the all-important exam, such creativity remains untapped and might remain unaccounted for.
"A child can have a very good learning potential but is overwhelmed by course material or is not motivated to do well or is not sufficiently encouraged to succeed," Mr Camilleri said.
Besides, this may lead to being pigeonholed as "less able" or even "stupid" and may lead to students operating in that stance.
The opposition spokesman for education, Evarist Bartolo stressed the importance of identifying children with poor abilities at an early stage.
The change in the Junior Lyceum system was only a small part of the change needed, he said.
"The way forward is to work together with students, parents, teachers, the social partners and civil society. What all these expect and deserve is a thorough soul searching and honest exercise to understand where we have failed in our educational strategy."
Over 40 per cent of students finished secondary education without getting the necessary qualifications and skills to further their education.
"We have too many teenagers who go through 13 years of formal schooling without acquiring the basic competencies in Maltese, English, maths, science and technology."
Over 57,000 children start school in primary and secondary schools this week. State schools will host 30,000 pupils and 3,066 teachers, the Education Ministry said.
Teachers in state schools have a degree in education or a Masters degree except for the 23 supply teachers, five of whom have a university degree while the rest have 'A' levels.
Several schools started operating under new headmasters and only five out of 101 schools have an acting head. This year, 22 educational officials, nine service managers and nine assistant directors were recruited.
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m.mangion
Sep 23rd 2008, 20:20
@ Joe Vassallo
Quote "....is it time that even the teaching profession assume responsibility? "
An educator is as good as the system allows him to be.
For example, If straming is done away with class populations will have to be reduced. unless this is done the results will be disastrous.
s.bugeja
Sep 23rd 2008, 20:07
Not so long ago the education department published a paper called Biex Uliedna Jirnexxu Lkoll. For all our children to succeed. I ask what is the meaning of the word succeed? Is it a degree from the university? or is it the development of whatever skill the particular child may have? where is the holistic education we hear so much about?
Charles sammut
Sep 23rd 2008, 16:26
"Besides, this may lead to being pigeonholed as "less able" or even "stupid" and may lead to students operating in that stance.
The opposition spokesman for education, Evarist Bartolo stressed the importance of identifying children with poor abilities at an early stage."
I find this sort of attitude distressing. It's equivalent in politics is Communism.
By all means give laggards and stragglers all the help they can, or will, absorb. But not at the expense of the bright ones. That would be nothing short of criminal.
Penalising abilities and diligence will never ever inspire those less able and willing.
When I sat for the then equivalent of the Junior Lyceum exam in 1962 it was a fairly tough exam but those who did well went to the best school available then. There was no streaming at The Lyceum because it was considered that if you made it there you could keep up with the rest. Disruption in class was practically unheard of and the results spoke for themselves.
The Socialists, elected in 1971, considered this elitist and dismantled it. It was not elitist. Perhaps it was meritorious, grounds enough for destruction in the eyes of any worthy Socialist.
Charles Camilleri
Sep 23rd 2008, 15:29
Agatha Barbara when she was Minister of Education removed the exams and it was flop. The education system was sent 20 yrs backwards. It seems that those who are advocating the removal of exams have short memory and seem not to learn from past mistakes. I want to know how many of those who are in favour of removing the exams send their children to public schools.
Charles Sammut
Sep 23rd 2008, 15:13
"We need a system that assesses the child's skills and knowledge not the areas of ignorance, he told The Times."
What empty talk! It is like saying that a glass is half full when in fact it is also half empty.
@ Victor Muscat
I agree with you 100%. The effects of abolishing exams will be that of dragging everybody down to the lowest common denominator. When this was implemented, in the early '70s, the result was mediocrity.
Why should gifted students be held back by those who might not be interested in furthering their education? This move is a retrograde step for this small nation which depends mostly on human resources for its well-being.
What we should be doing is opening centres exclusively for gifted children. This way, those who are average or below average in their willingness and capability to learn will not be pushed beyond their abilities. Likewise, those who are talented will not be held back from fully developing their skills and education.
This "opinion peace" (sic) by Prof Wain sounds like something from a 1960's Soviet policy paper and best forgotten.
J Farrugia
Sep 23rd 2008, 14:09
May I humbly suggest to the Minister of Education to appoint Mr Joseph Cauchi to be one of her influential advisors. He is gifted, talented, etc. We used to criticise Agatha Barbara when her government removed all the examination systems. What was the result? Where it not for the system of il-parrinu we would never had anyone at THAT University. I think it is much better to heed Mr Giovanni DeMartino's illustrious advice of 50 years standing (which was published in almost all newspapers) , and refrain fom further playing games with our childrens' education. They are too precious to waste. There needs to be a line where those with knowledge will move on and those without the necessary motivation, either be made to continue repeating their classes or else sent to other pastures. But there must be a measure for one to further his/her studies. Those advocating for the removal of the exam system are doing a disservice to this country and to its children..
Victor Muscat
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:40
If a referendum were to be held if the public were in favour or not of school exams 95% would opt for exams.
When the entrance exam was removed from Govt. Secondary schools in the 70’s ; something happened in Gozo, which showed how the people thought about it.
Up to then the best boys used to go to the government secondary school. Then the next best went to the Sacred Heart Seminary.
When entrance exams were removed the best were sent to the seminary and at Govt. Secondary schools went the rest.
PEOPLE WANT EXAMS!!!
Joseph Cauchi
Sep 23rd 2008, 10:06
Well said Prof. Kenneth Wain.
There is nothing for me to add, what Prof. Wain had said, is absolutely CLEAR.
Why are the educational authorities dragging their feet in this important matter.
The current system of streaming and examinations is nothing but a "SIEVE".
It only favours the supposed "gifted" students. What about the rest?
The educational system should be TAILORED MADE to the student and NOT the other way round ( i.e. Student Tailored Made To The System) ! ! !
Unfortunately, some decisions taken by certain people in high places are very questionable. One wonders if these type of people, who are supposed to be the "experts" and advise the government, are really qualified for this job !
So, I kindly urge the Minister of Education to kindly consider Prof. Kenneth Wain's advice and implement his suggestons IMMEDIATELY.
A lot of harm has already been done to our students, so let us NOT linger any longer.
Life is too short and there is no time to waste.
Action please ! ! !
Joe Vassallo
Sep 23rd 2008, 09:40
Is anyone held accountable for the fact that 40% of our students end up with no qualifications after their secondary education? Is it always the kids', the parents' and/or the systems fault? Or is it time that even the teaching profession assume responsibility?
As for the system itself, how can we expect our country to be competitive if we are literally throwing away 40% of our future potential workforce ? We need highly trained, qualified and motivated people to join our workforce - let's not continue failing them!
Please choose the reason of your report below: