15 February 2008, 11:19
This decision was taken as a result of ‘Round Tables´ held in Kyiv and the Sumy and Lviv Regions, and meetings held by the Committee with teachers, managers, parents´ and pupils´ representatives, to discuss the issue of quality external testing in education.
Listening to, and discussing the information on the outcome of quality external testing of education in 2007, and progress in preparations for the 2008 knowledge testing, presented by the Ministry of Education and Science, and the Ukrainian Centre for Quality Testing in Education, the Committee stated that adequate steps have been taken in Ukraine towards securing the realisation of the Constitutional Rights of citizens to equal access to education, providing a review of the current state of education and prediction of its development, and improving the control of compliance with the State Standards of General Secondary Education. The Ukrainian Centre for Quality Testing in Education has been set up together with Regional Divisions.
At the same time, the Committee noted that the first Regulation on the conducting of independent external education quality testing was issued by the Cabinet of Ministers in 2004. Throughout the following year, no moves were made to regulate the procedure for launching this form of testing. Matters of administrative and criminal liability for possible infringements of the testing procedures, and publicizing the contents of the set Tests, have not yet been tackled.
Concern was expressed over a number of shortcomings in the organisation of Testing in 2008. Due to a poor awareness campaign, a significant sector of the population knows nothing of the positive experiences and testing results of 2007, the specific aspects of testing in 2008, and the implications thereof for entrance to higher educational institutions, etc. The Test materials must be improved and coordinated with school curricula; confidentiality of test results must be secured; teachers must be recruited to work in the Centres with remuneration provided; and transport must be provided for pupils, to and from the Test Centres, especially in rural localities.
The independent external education quality testing requires greater legislative regulation. The documents in force, i.e. The Edict of The President of Ukraine No. 1013/2005, ‘On Urgent Steps to Provide for the Functioning and Development of Education in Ukraine´, Regulations issued by The Cabinet of Ministers and The Ministry of Education and Science, and the Letter from The President of Ukraine to the Government of Ukraine, dated. 28.11.2007, do not provide an adequate regulatory background for the launching of and further improvements to the independent external knowledge testing for general secondary education final year pupils.
The Committee recommended that the Cabinet of Ministers prepares and introduces to The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, under the established procedure, relevant amendments to the Laws of Ukraine, ‘On Education´ and ‘On General Secondary Education´, respective Codes of Ukraine and other legislative acts to adjust the procedure for independent external knowledge testing for secondary school leavers, and define the liability for infringements of the test procedures and publicizing the contents of the set Tests.. Among other ‘musts´ are steps towards full financial provision of testing, and additional Health and Safety arrangements to be put in place for the transportation of children to Test Centres, and whilst conducting the Tests.
The Committee also recommends that the Ministry of Education and Science, together with the Centre for Quality Testing in Education, issues and approves a Regulation on the Public Control and Observation of Education Quality External testing in Ukraine, setting out obligations and authorities of public observers at all testing stages, with particular regard to the transportation and storage of test materials, examination of compliance of tests and test procedures with the State Standards of general secondary education, and admittance to Higher Educational Institutions, etc.
The Committee recommends that in the event that several candidates have an equal number of points on their External Testing Certificates, the Higher Educational Institutions should take into account the average mark in their General Secondary Education Record in admitting entrants.