Critical for the Ministry of Education are the exams that are expected to take place in May for middle schools, high schools and technical schools, after the new student evaluation system will come into force for the first time, after the abolition of the institution of four-month exams, the last summer.
The institution of the four-month exams had caused several tensions in the education sector, as a result of which the former Minister of Education clashed openly with the Parliament, as well as with the students and teachers on this issue several times. It is characteristic of the fact that for this specific issue, the students had gone outside the Presidential Palace to protest the four-month exams twice.
The opposition to the said student evaluation system also had a political background, since from the first moment AKEL had stood against the implementation of the four-month exams, while until and before their abolition, no party except the Democratic Alarm supported its continuation.
< p data-block-key="fc3qu">This was the reason why, immediately after assuming her duties, Athina Michailidou was asked to make decisions and establish an evaluation system, which would bring about the much-desired change. It is noted that last year's school year, the last in which the institution of four-month examinations was implemented, was not smooth, since in the first examination of the year a huge problem was created for the final students of high schools and technical schools, due to the leakage of examination essay topics .
Athina Michailidou, after having gathered all the opinions on the matter, both from the political parties and from the bodies involved, such as students, parents and teachers, was called within a very short period of time to submit a proposal before the Education Committee of Parliament, to change the evaluation system. Which he did and shortly before the end of the Parliament's work for the summer, the plan was voted by the Plenary.
This means that the May exams are a crash test for the Ministry of Education, as the new assessment system will be implemented first, given that among the provisions is the abolition of the mid-term exam in January. It is noted that, during the previous weeks, the Ministry of Education had announced the chapters of the material that will be included in the exams, as only 60% of the taught material will be used.
It is recalled that, as announced by the Ministry of Education, the weight of the exam will be 30%, while the four months have a weight of 35% and 35%, for the overall grade. Regarding the evaluation of the 1st semester, it was formative, through different evaluation methods, such as:
– competitions
– oral participation in class
– homework and their discussion
– quizzes – short written creative tasks
– self- and peer-assessment activities
In addition, the subjects examined for in the 1st year of high school, four become two and they are New Greek and Mathematics. This is because the Ministry of Education wanted to emphasize the smooth transition of students from Primary to High School and for this reason, in the rest of the High School classes, there is no reduction in the subjects examined.
See Also The new student evaluation system was approved -The four-month exams are officially over
