The end of the institution of quarterly examinations in the third grade, but also the initiation of a meaningful dialogue to find an appropriate way to assess students, the OELMEK calls for. At the same time, however, it warns against taking strong measures if the Ministry proceeds with unilateral and arbitrary decisions.
In a statement issued by the Pancyprian Conference of General Delegates of the OELMEK (PSGA), which met in Nicosia on 21 June 2022, it states that it discussed the issue "Evaluation of students", and came to the following decisions.
- "OELMEK has long highlighted the major problems presented by the system of evaluation of students in quarterly examinations, which was implemented this year across the whole range of Lyceum and Technical Schools. These findings of our Organization are shared by the Organized Parents and Students.
[*][*][*] The Ministry of Education, albeit belatedly, also recognizes the problems caused by quarterly examinations, as evidenced by the content of the letters sent by the Minister of Education to our Organization at the beginning of April, in which he admits that they are responsible for the loss of valuable teaching time, especially due to the mid-term central examination. Unfortunately, however, while acknowledging problems that we have been pointing out all along, he did not respond to the request that we, together with parents and students, had submitted to him for a meaningful, scientifically documented and systematic dialogue with all stakeholders in order to formulate a student evaluation system that will work for the benefit of students and the public school. Instead, it proceeded without any dialogue with those directly involved (teachers, parents, students) to prepare a Bill, which it presented to us on 17/6/2022, expressing its intention to submit it to the Council of Ministers for approval and, subsequently, to Parliament for enactment.
[*]With regard to the above Bill we express first of all our strong dissatisfaction and annoyance at the fact that the Minister of Education is once again bypassing the established dialogue. Secondly, we consider that the content of the Bill, while not solving the problems of the four-year examinations, which even the Ministry of Education now acknowledges, intends to sacrifice on the altar of maintaining them, even in a differentiated form, many elements directly related to the quality of education. Therefore, our Organization disagrees both on the substance and on the procedure with this Bill, which is why we call on the Minister of Education not to proceed with its promotion because it will be a source of new problems and tensions in secondary education.
[*]We call on the Minister of Education, for the umpteenth time, to finally listen to the views and concerns of the institutional bodies regarding the quarterly examinations and to immediately start a substantial dialogue with them (see. Educational Organizations, Academic Community, Pedagogical Institute, Organized Parents, PTA, etc.) to formulate a Student Assessment Plan that really works for the benefit of the Public School and primarily for the benefit of our students. We express our readiness for dialogue with the Ministry of Education and Science and the stakeholders on the issue of the Evaluation of students, while we consider it essential, in view of the next school year 2022-2023, that the following decisions be taken:
a). Ending the three exams in the third grade, because the system implemented for the first time this year has proven to be exhausting for seniors and has had many negative side effects. Our position is that the intermediate central examination for the 3rd grade should be abolished, while we reject the Ministry of National Education's idea of abolishing the Pancyprian Examinations, which is one of the most reliable and recognized institutions in Cypriot society. We believe that the intermediate written central examination should be abolished in the A' and B' Lyceum
b).[/B] We consider it unthinkable, based on the problems that the implementation of the four-month examinations in the high school cycle has presented, to extend it to the high school cycle as well."
In conclusion, the Pancyprian Conference of General Representatives of OELMEK authorizes the CEC of OELMEK to proceed to take reaction measures, non-excludable and dynamic, in case the Ministry of Education proceeds to unilateral and arbitrary actions, which affect students, educational workers and degrade the Public School.
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