The announcement by the Matsec Board (May 14) relating to a mistake in the first Advanced level (chemistry) examination paper raises questions.

Deplorable as the mistake may have been in the printing process, human errors, however rare, cannot be ruled out.

The Matsec Board has promptly acknowledged the error. (In the seventh question the chemical ethanol, as printed, should have read butanol. and this error made the question unworkable).

The board has promptly informed all concerned that the full marks allotted to the question will now be allotted to all candidates.

Students who tried to answer the question and got lost should not be penalised for someone else's mistake.

On the other hand, there may be other students who were quick in the uptake and realised what was amiss. Assuming that their reasoning was sound, should they not be entitled to a fair credit, over and above those who hit the blank wall?

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