Students protest introduction of mid-term exams

High school student representatives delivered to the education ministry’s permanent secretary on Thursday a memo with 5,000 signatures against the mid-term exams that are to be introduced in state schools as of September.

The students met with the ministry’s permanent secretary, Egly Pantelakis to whom they expressed their concerns concerning mid-term exams.

Student rep, Marios Hadjielia, said that mid-term exams will force students to “chase after grades” instead of focusing on actual learning.

Pantelakis said that the student reaction was possibly because they were not fully informed of the new initiative “for some amendments to the entire system so that the exams material is reduced”.

She added that this new initiative concerns other forms of student assessment before the exams period begins.

The minister has already had meetings in all districts with teachers, parents and students, she said.

The ministry maintains that the introduction of midterm exams would help students as they receive feedback on their performance so that they can work on their weaknesses.

Mid-term exams are also opposed by teachers.

Last month, members of the secondary education teachers’ union Oelmek voted against their introduction. The union had said that the result of the referendum was binding and would determine Oelmek’s stance in upcoming consultations between the education ministry and the House education committee on the new regulations.

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