The Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, said today that he is evaluating the format of the school exams, but stressed that the digital transition “is a goal” of the new government.
“Obviously we’re evaluating. Last week I met with the ministry services, today we’re going to meet with the school management. If, in fact, [the tests] are to continue in digital format, we need to ensure that there are equal conditions for all students. That will be our principle,” he told journalists today.
Fernando Alexandre was speaking after being questioned by journalists at the Rodrigues de Freitas school in Porto, where today he is taking part in a class on April 25th, together with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Asked what conclusions he had already drawn from the meeting with the services, he said that he would only reflect “after gathering all the information” on the matter, making “the most appropriate decision for the families and the students”.
As for the time it will take to make the decision, Fernando Alexandre admitted that “it will have to be very quick, because the possible holding [of the tests] in physical format requires complex logistics”.
However, the minister stressed the commitment to the digital transition.
“The digital transition is fundamental for our students, it’s a goal of our government, which is why we’re committed to giving schools all the conditions they need to acquire these skills,” said Fernando Alexandre.
On March 26, the National Education Federation (FNE) sent a letter to the Ministry of Education requesting the cancellation of the 9th grade assessment tests and exams in digital format.
For the FNE, the holding of the benchmarking tests for 2nd, 5th and 8th graders “puts the stability” of the education system at risk, given the “various constraints” affecting both students and teachers.
In addition to the lack of computers, technical support and problems with the internet, there is “damage to students and teachers in terms of increased stress and anxiety, unequal opportunities and loss of teaching time”, argues the FNE in a statement sent to newsrooms today.
The FNE’s position is in line with that of other union structures, such as Fenprof, or the representatives of school principals and guardians, who have expressed concern about the lack of conditions for digital tests, calling for a return to paper tests.
The gradual increase in broken equipment and the danger of students being left without computers to sit the exams, which start in approximately two months’ time, has led the Ministry of Education to make a sum of 6.5 million euros available to buy new computers.
The measure was approved by the Council of Ministers by the previous government, but school principals and teachers believe that the money will not arrive in time for the exams, since schools have to comply with a set of prior procedures related to public accounting standards.
The benchmarking tests for 2nd, 5th and 8th graders begin in May and the national exams for 9th graders start the following month.
The Ministry of Education has decided to carry out a project to dematerialize national tests and exams, starting gradually with the benchmarking tests.
This year, the project covers the 9th grade national exams and, next year, it should be the turn of 11th and 12th graders to also take the national exams, which serve as access to higher education, in digital format.
