November 10 Minister of Education of Wales, Kirsty Williams (Kirsty Williams) announced that Wales will cancel the 2021 summer GCSE (High School Entrance Examination) and A-level (Higher Entrance Examination) exams, and student scores will be based on classroom assessments. result.
Kirsty Williams said that due to the continuing impact of Coronavirus, it is impossible to guarantee that the exam can be conducted on the basis of fair competition. She said, “The main reason for my decision is fairness; the time students spend in school will vary greatly. In this case, it is impossible to guarantee a level playing field.”
Kirsty further stated that the evaluation will be conducted under the supervision of the teacher, starting from the second half of the next spring semester. She added that this year is a “extremely challenging year”, but this announcement will reduce the pressure on learners and provide ample time for teaching. Teachers can also flexibly decide what to do according to the school’s “timetable for grade submission”. Assessment at the time.
Jonathan Dawes, a high school student and a member of the Welsh Youth Council, said in an interview with the media that he welcomes this decision, but he wants more details. “I look forward to seeing more guidance To ensure that the evaluation is as fair and transparent as possible, to ensure that students get the grades they deserve, and that there is no difference between schools.” A teaching union questioned whether this announcement meant that it would end in an “invisible exam.”
Previously, on October 12, the British government announced that in order to alleviate the destructive impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on teaching and ensure that students have sufficient learning time, the GCSE and A-level examinations in the summer of 2021 will be postponed for three weeks. However, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have adopted different response measures.
