RIYADH: Standardized tests for all intermediate students has been a double-edged sword this year because while it has required an adherence to the syllabus, it has also created a situation where any problem experienced now affects all students nationwide.
This is the view of an education expert, who told Arab News recently that a positive outcome is that teachers are now no longer able to set question papers of their own and must stick to prescribed material.
However, when questions for the science examination was leaked in Riyadh, all students were then forced to re-take their exam on a new paper set by the Education Ministry.
But regardless of these issues, all teachers must be well prepared and apply themselves so that they can help the ministry achieve its vision, the expert told Arab News.
Reem M., a science teacher, said that the multiple choice questions do pose some problems because students can carry over a mistake from one section into another on the same topic. This can result in poor overall marks.
Minister of Education Ahmed Al-Isa recently ordered that setting examination questions for intermediate students must be centralized with the ministry.
Exams expose problems with standardized tests across the Kingdom
Exams expose problems with standardized tests across the Kingdom
