This year exams for grade 9 will be held on paper

Year 9 final exams will be conducted on paper this year to ensure equality for all students, while assessment tests will continue to be conducted digitally, the government said this Thursday.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) said the previous government did not guarantee schools the necessary facilities to conduct Year 9 national tests digitally as planned.

Therefore, these exams this year will be conducted exclusively in paper format.

Assessment tests continue to be carried out digitally, “confirming the current government’s commitment to digitalisation”.

MECI explains that on Monday it heard from the School Board, the National Association of Band and Public School Principals (ANDAEP) and the National Association of Headmasters (ANDE) about the current conditions for administering these tests, having been informed of the “position of school principals regarding the serious lack of guarantees of equality for students , which is especially concerning about the conduct of final exams in the 9th grade, which affect the final grade.”

In the same sense, consultations were carried out with ministries such as the Institute of Educational Evaluation (IAVE), the National Jury of Examinations (JNE), the Directorate General of School Establishments (DGEstE) and the Editorial Board of the Ministry of Education and Science (EMEC).

“The data provided by the DGEstE shows serious shortcomings in the provision of IT equipment, its maintenance and the connectivity of schools to ensure that all students can undertake assessments with equal opportunity this academic year. To date, DGEstE has reported that 13,639 ninth-graders have not received a digital kit (laptop, flash drive and accessories).”

The National Federation of Education (FNE) and other trade union bodies such as Fenprof have already demanded the cancellation of grade 9 tests and exams in digital format.

The gradual increase in faulty equipment and the danger for students without computers to take the tests, which take place in May and June, prompted the previous Ministry of Education to allocate 6.5 million euros in the budget for the purchase of new computers.

However, school principals and teachers felt that funds would not arrive in time to administer the tests because schools must comply with a number of preliminary procedures related to state accounting standards.

MECI justifies the adoption of the above decision by saying that it “strongly defends the autonomy of schools and, as such, trusts its directors and their assessment” and also identifies “the principle of equality as a priority axis” of its policies and believes.” on the importance of assessment” and the need to conduct it in “a context of calm, predictability and the absence of external interference that could harm student performance.”