November 18, newspaper “24 HOURS”

High School Exams Will Not Be Difficult This Year

Nino Barabadze

12^th graders of all general educational institutions will have to approve their knowledge during the High School exams in May, 2011. Schoolchildren will pass 8 exams at their schools, through the so called CAT exam model. Exam in each subject will be held on the same day. Firstly, applicants will be given the questions of average difficulty and the program will evaluate the level of knowledge according to the answers. If the applicant answers correctly, the next question will be more difficult. If he/she cannot answer, the program will give easier task. After finishing the exam, schoolchild receives results immediately   - whether he/she crossed minimal competency level or not. 

Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Dimitri Shashkini introduces the sample electronic exam test to the 12^th graders of different schools before commencing the exams. Schoolchildren on their hand attend the free lessons in the scope of Abituri hours at schools. Abituri hours envisage preparation for the High School exams.

Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Dimitri Shashkini personally speaks about the meaning of the High School exams.

Dimitri Shashkini: Since my appointment as the Minister of Education, the staff of MES has been holding meetings with parents, teachers and schoolchildren. All people who met me, spoke about anarchy and violence at schools. Schoolchildren were going to schools with knives. They studied only several subjects. This is the fact and everybody remembers it. I promised the society to return the schoolchildren to schools. My quote concerning the schoolchildren attendance is often repeated.

We developed program of general education, ways of solving problems at schools in January, 2010.

It can be said, we fulfilled our promise. Schoolchildren have been attending lessons since September, 2010. Teaching process is being held at a high level and facts of violence have been decreased by 80%. This means the schoolchildren returned to schools and began studying. Though, people who were speaking about the violence at schools now protest the High School exams. If someone has better problem solving plan, I am ready to listen. I cannot accept critics of the people who were managing the education system during several years and nowadays we correct their mistakes.  I am ready to listen to the other versions.

I want to underline that High School exams are not the only motivator of advancement the quality of general education. Besides exams, organization of education process is completely changed. Discipline is being kept at schools and new assessment system is being launched as well. Many programs operate in order to improve teachers’ qualification and etc. reforms we are carrying out, are held in all civilized countries of the world. Reformation of the education system is the permanent process.

You have stated several times that High School exams will not be difficult this year. Could you explain what do you mean?

Experts of National Examination Center and National Curriculum and Assessment Center defined the minimum level of knowledge. But as the trimester teaching provoked some problems, we have decided to make 2011 High School exams easy and 12^th graders will be given simple questions and questions of average difficulty.

CAT system is not focused on the marks. It enables us to evaluate level of knowledge without scores. The schoolchild receives pass or fail after passing examination in different directions. Based on this system, we will find the problems in each subject in order to consider them in the future.

But, I would like to underline that the schoolchildren were not told to miss exact and natural science classes besides the trimester studying. If somebody believed these are not necessary subjects, they are not right. National Curriculum envisages studying of different subjects similarly. Teachers of each subject carried out their activities fairly. We developed Abituri hours before the exams in order to repeat the covered material. Experts specially worked on this issue to repeat the material fully.

Protest of 200 schoolchildren does not express approach of 50,000 students. Exams are adequately adopted in Tbilisi as well as regions. Budget of education amounts to around 600 mln and if we do not want to learn, we can give the sum to the Ministry of Health Care and double pensions for the people who worked the whole life. If they have these requirements, teachers as well as the schoolchildren will have a rest.

Opponents believe, exams should not concern 12^th graders this year as they are not able to pass the program. . .

This is the position of nonprofessionals. Around 50,000 schoolchildren study in the 12^th form this year, what should we say to them – miss the lessons? This in not correct.

Children study for their welfare and not for the scores. When they are enrolled in the universities, graduate and begin working, they will appreciate us. I am ready for the claims I read in the newspapers. I am convinced that Georgian government is being implementing essential reforms and we will be thanked after some years, after receiving results.

If the schoolchild fails, what alternative do you offer?

If the student fails in any subject, he/she will maintain already crossed minimal competency level in other subjects and will pass the failed exam again the next year.