The reformers of the Ukrainian education system, along with the introduction of 12-year-olds, are planning to introduce testing for graduates of fourth and ninth grade. “Today” figured out the innovations and find out how to treat them parents.
NINTH GRADE. The bill “On education” adopted in first reading, it is assumed that the last three years of schooling will be profiled in grades 10 to 12 students will prepare for specific directions. It is expected that to hit a “specialized school” the ninth-graders will need to pass the tests. Information about what innovation really is prepared in mon, we have confirmed the Ukrainian center for educational quality assessment (uceqa) — it is the Agency will be responsible for the assessment of pupils ‘ knowledge. Uceqa in saying that there is already a draft decision and the initiative can earn in the next year. According to one of the authors of the reform, former Deputy Minister of MES Inna Sovsun, now still left open a number of important issues.
“The final decision about the consequences of such EIT is not yet accepted — the question remains how it can be significant. Is there any option in which a child who does not pass the exam, you will not get in high school? Theoretically there. In this case, the student will remain for the second year in ninth grade,” she told us.
However Sovsun believes that a complete copy of the mechanism of assessment of graduation classes would be wrong, and in the future need to consider new formats and new jobs for mcqs for ninth class.
EVALUATION KIDS. In addition to ninth-graders, mcqs in 2018 can meet and fourth graders. However, the real exam it will not be — uceqa only check the level of knowledge of children. In the Ministry of education say that it will be random monitoring — from 400 thousand of these students across the country will choose around 6 thousand Promises that this will be the standard sociological sample, where to get kids from different regions and with very different results.
The Director of one of Kiev schools Sergey Gorbachev to this idea is positive, but considers that to do this now will be difficult: “UPE requires scientific training, organizational. To this need accordingly, and children to cook.”
In turn, the parents relate differently to innovation. “If the children will know that you have to confirm knowledge at the end of the year will be a more responsible approach to their studies,” says the mother of third-grader Marina Shvets. But the Kiev, Denis Shramko believes the idea is not bad, but first need to fix the program: “Now, children are given a lot of unnecessary knowledge. I wish the exams were aimed at practical application of knowledge, and not become a demonstration of the results of cramming”.
“Children can assess themselves.” Welcomed the initiative to test not only the graduates of schools and the Deputy head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on education and science Alexander Spivakovsky. “The more ratings in the market of educational services, the better. Then, first, parents will have information where the best education, for example, for a student of Junior or senior classes. Secondly, this is a very good indicator for both schools — their leaders will be to understand what are the weaknesses and strengths of their institutions and what needs to change in the future, — said the MP. Why is there a need of testing in fourth grade? So we all saw the situation in the whole country, separately for areas and institutions. This will give in the first place mon understanding of what you should pay attention. Understanding what changes are needed in teacher training or changes in funding”.
As for the assessment of knowledge in ninth grade, then, according to Spivakovsky, then it is needed primarily by students — the results of testing before high school, will show the child the level and disposition: “And then he will be able to determine how and where to grow, what direction to choose”.
