Post by westender on Jul 15, 2011 15:32:19 GMT -1
(This doesn't apply in Scotland - the situation was in *ngland, Wales and Norn Irn)
Exam papers this year contained 10 mistakes. The most of any year. Numbers of mistakes in exam papers has been creeping up in recent years - and we all know about recent fiascos in terms of the marking situation.
I listend to this highly illuminating half hour of radio the other night in increasing disbelief and anger. The whole sysytem of putting together the exams sounds infallible and satisfactorily rigorous... but is riddled nowadays, it seems, with holes, and with eyewatering levels of clerical incompetency.
The programme started with an account from a boy who sat an advanced Latin exam - gawd bless him!! - and he was aghast to find not one, but two mistakes in the paper. As he sat there, certain but in astonishment, he said all he could think was "how can this be??"
"On 7 June, after discovering six exam paper errors, the examination regulator OFQUAL wrote to all the examination boards to ask them to double check the remaining exam papers to make sure there were no more errors. The boards replied assuring the regulator that thorough quality checks had been done to "make sure there are no undetected errors in the remaining papers". The regulator then made a public statement to students that "everything that can be done has been done to prevent any further errors on question papers". Following this statement, four more errors were discovered. Ten mistakes in total, affecting up to 100,000 students."
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012fs72#synopsis
The attitude of the examining boards towards the making of the programme was breathtakingly arrogant. None of them would be interviewed for the programme - and one gave back not even a statement, merely a terse email saying it "wasn't interested in taking part in the programme".
One especially arrogant prick, who sounded very irritated to even have to answer questions, was one Dr Jim Sinclair (regrettably a Scotsman), head of the Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents all the UK awarding bodies. His attitude stank, and he talked pish throughout. He treated the lassie presenting the programme like she was a recalcitrant child.
The ongoing situation - these exams are now being marked, but how do the markers level that playing field?? - is of course now a complete fiasco.
Poor kids. Exam results, university chances, life chances, totally fucked up by levels of incompetency by the adults that simply should NOT be possible!
I've seen this getting worse, year on year, for years. It's so inevitable, so inconceivable!... and so fucking depressing.
C'mon folks, this is important! Let's talk about this!
Exam papers this year contained 10 mistakes. The most of any year. Numbers of mistakes in exam papers has been creeping up in recent years - and we all know about recent fiascos in terms of the marking situation.
I listend to this highly illuminating half hour of radio the other night in increasing disbelief and anger. The whole sysytem of putting together the exams sounds infallible and satisfactorily rigorous... but is riddled nowadays, it seems, with holes, and with eyewatering levels of clerical incompetency.
The programme started with an account from a boy who sat an advanced Latin exam - gawd bless him!! - and he was aghast to find not one, but two mistakes in the paper. As he sat there, certain but in astonishment, he said all he could think was "how can this be??"
"On 7 June, after discovering six exam paper errors, the examination regulator OFQUAL wrote to all the examination boards to ask them to double check the remaining exam papers to make sure there were no more errors. The boards replied assuring the regulator that thorough quality checks had been done to "make sure there are no undetected errors in the remaining papers". The regulator then made a public statement to students that "everything that can be done has been done to prevent any further errors on question papers". Following this statement, four more errors were discovered. Ten mistakes in total, affecting up to 100,000 students."
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012fs72#synopsis
The attitude of the examining boards towards the making of the programme was breathtakingly arrogant. None of them would be interviewed for the programme - and one gave back not even a statement, merely a terse email saying it "wasn't interested in taking part in the programme".
One especially arrogant prick, who sounded very irritated to even have to answer questions, was one Dr Jim Sinclair (regrettably a Scotsman), head of the Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents all the UK awarding bodies. His attitude stank, and he talked pish throughout. He treated the lassie presenting the programme like she was a recalcitrant child.
The ongoing situation - these exams are now being marked, but how do the markers level that playing field?? - is of course now a complete fiasco.
Poor kids. Exam results, university chances, life chances, totally fucked up by levels of incompetency by the adults that simply should NOT be possible!
I've seen this getting worse, year on year, for years. It's so inevitable, so inconceivable!... and so fucking depressing.
C'mon folks, this is important! Let's talk about this!