General

AObmembers divided over central exams

AObmembers are divided on whether the central final exams should take place this year, and if so in what form. Almost 60 percent of the teachers in group 8 think that the final test should continue this year. This is evident from a survey among approximately 7500 members.

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Yes, more than three-quarters of all primary and secondary school teachers think that students learn less in online lessons. And yes, more than three-quarters of them see that students have fallen behind - sometimes even considerably. But the unanimity ends there, it appears a AOb-survey which was filled in by a total of about 7500 members.

Circa 45 percent of the teachers in the exam classes, for example, want the exams to take place in the way that Minister Arie Slob of Education announced in December: with three periods and an extra re-exam.

But approx 30 percent of the teachers in the examination classes, on the contrary, want no final exams to be held, so that students pass or fail on the basis of the school exams.

And such 25 percent of teachers want exams to be taken only in core subjects, whether or not supplemented with a profile subject.

These students think that corona will give them the diploma as a gift. That is not a good attitude for a start in secondary education

'Just let those exams go ahead', says one of the respondents. 'These students have the idea that they are being mated by corona, and that they receive the diploma as a gift, so to speak. That is the wrong attitude for a good start in further education. A thorough exam can help separate the wheat from the chaff. '

'Just continue with that exam', says a colleague. 'We must be able to guarantee a certain level before we send the pupils to further education. Even though this means that perhaps a quarter of the students will fail. '

No: others think it is correct to cancel those central exams. 'Based on the school exams, we have an excellent picture of our students. School exams alone are enough. '

School exams are enough. If after five or six years we still don't know whether our students are ready for further education, we are doing something completely wrong

'These exam students suffered last year and this year under the corona measures,' says another teacher. 'That's why I plead for not passing the final exam. I think the argument of a valid diploma is nonsense. If we don't know after five or six years whether our students are ready for further education, we as a sector are really doing something completely wrong. '

Moreover, a staggered exam over three periods is hardly physically possible for a school, adds another teacher. "Certainly not with the mandatory five-foot distance."

The response to other questions in the survey is also very divided. For example, almost half of the teachers indicate that the grades of the school exams are worse compared to a normal school year, while the performance according to the other half has remained the same.

Final test

The respondents are somewhat more unambiguous about whether the final test for primary education should continue this year. Almost 60 percent of the teachers in group 8 think that the final test should continue this year, about 40 percent think not. In special primary education, teachers are clearly less keen on the final test: there, only 40 percent of teachers think that this test should pass.

Final exam only costs time, money, frustration and nerves

'At the moment it is not in the interests of students to take this test,' says a teacher in regular primary education. 'That has no added value for the control of educational quality and only costs time, money, frustration and nerves.'

"Give my highly motivated class the chance to take the final test - regardless of the results," says one proponent. Such a test is also useful for mapping out the possible gaps in each student, so that they can be passed on to the first year, says another. A third warns: 'Schools should not be held accountable for results after two lockdowns.'

In the survey, many teachers indicate that they more often give the students the benefit of the doubt in the school advice. That is also the wish of Minister Slob. In mainstream primary education, 70 percent of those surveyed give generous advice this year. "But we have always provided good advice at school," says one of the respondents. "It is a pity that this is now being emphasized in the media."

Backlogs

A number of respondents criticize the term 'backlogs' in the survey. "By only talking about disadvantages, we increase the pressure on students, parents and teachers," says one of the respondents. Another: 'In these times of differentiated learning and continuous learning pathways, it is very strange to speak of' disadvantages '.'

Decision

Minister Slob will make a decision about the central final exams later this week: will they still take place and if so, should the proposed form – of three periods and an extra re-examination – be adjusted?

The final primary education test will continue for the time being, unless no physical lessons can be given in the weeks before that test due to corona. The decision on this will therefore be made at a later time.

Also read:

'Final exams 2021: choice of two times per subject'

'Teachers under pressure to increase grades for school exams'

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