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Ordinary Level examination results 2014:
Points to ponder
by Husna Inayathullah
The continuing failure in Mathematics at the GCE Ordinary Level
Examination is still a problem to the Ministry of Education.
Commissioner General of Examinations, W.M.N.J. Pushpakumara has urged
the authorities to find a speedy solution to this problem. “This year
too the results are like the previous years. This year the pass rate is
57.2 percent and last year it was 56.7 percent”, he said. Explaining,
“We cannot see any changes in particular. This year too, most number of
students have failed in mathematics like the previous years. I think the
Government has to take some steps to find a solution to this problem.”
Thamara Pieris, a student, from Mahanama College,who obtained 9As
said, “I’m very happy with my results. The exams were really very easy.
I studied after school for about two to three hours. I started preparing
for my exams from grade 10 itself by studying past papers and taking
down short notes. The teachers at my school taught us well. My school
teachers helped me a lot more than tuition classes.”
Improved
Ordinary Level examination results have improved comparatively.
According to the Principal of AlManar Handessa National School,
Seiyyadu Meeras, there are many reasons that reflected positively in the
passing rate of students.
“First, the child learns at home before he or she enters school, as
the 21st century parents are more knowledgeable than in the past.
Further, the nursery too plays an important role in moulding the
children better. Next, the close observation and the supervision by the
department of education and the Zonal Departments have helped students
to perform well in the exams. The Ministry of Education has introduced
eight criteria to assess the child. This is done to improve the standard
of education.
They are ranking the students according to their achievement,
assessing teaching and learning process, correct management of planning
the time, activities based on subjects, welfare of the child, leadership
management, management of the available resources and school and the
society.”
Criteria
Meeras further elaborated that the teachers’ observation is done
under these criteria to uplift the quality of education. In addition
school based assessment too leads to better results. The principal also
mentioned that there are enough resources for the students to refer
books, magazines and educational programs on the television.
“Unwittingly the media too works towards the success of the children.
In 2007 the school curriculum was changed. This too has reflected on the
Ordinary Level examination results”, says the principal.“Furthermore,
seminars are held for important subjects to increase the passing rates.
Tuition classes too play a big role in passing these candidates and some
of them have more faith in tuition masters than school teachers,” he
said.Meeras was also of the opinion that there were other reasons why
some students are able to pass exams.”Some of them are able to score
well because of the negligence of the supervisors at some exam centres”,
he said, explaining that the supervisors engage in other work while they
have to make sure the candidates are answering the questions unaided.
Furthermore, the MCQs (multiple choice questions) put the exam
supervisors in trouble since the answers for MCQs can easily be
transmitted, he said.
Children who pass in this manner are not qualified enough and
ultimately fail in the exams to come.
Improvement
Mathematics is a subject that everyone has to be thorough in to pass
the Ordinary Level exams. Yet, the pass rate in this subject doesn’t
show much improvement in some areas. The reason for this, according to
two experienced teachers of Maths, I. L Abdul Hakeem and S.M.M Ilham is
that the basic knowledge of Maths such as adding, subtracting, dividing
and multiplication are not adequate once the students reach the Ordinary
Level classes. Mathematics is a cycle, so if one step is not followed
the other cannot be explained.
They said, “The other reason is that the concept of Mathematics is
taken by the students only through the mind. There aren’t enough visuals
in classrooms to make the Maths lesson more effective. Some of the
students do not have patience to grasp the method how a sum should be
worked out and some do not have the need to go through exams, as for
them, making money is their prime objective. Teachers too are reluctant
to take responsibility of these type of students because it is
impossible to change their attitude towards education.”
They further said that if a child is weak in language, the student
will not do well in Maths, as the child cannot read and understand
instructions. Some of the children are nervous when it comes to Maths.
Yet, these teachers believe that Mathematics is an inborn talent, but
they do not express these views to the students as these could
discourage them. Currently, the students use calculators to do sums,
which weaken their thinking power. Ultimately, students do not know the
correct way of calculating. These teachers think that students should
not be spoon-fed and that they too must explore on their own by reading
books relating to the subject.
Fear
A parent whose child sat for the exam last year, said her child is
clever in Mathematics but it is because of exam fear that she had shown
poor results. The students who have scored good results for the subject
say that once the way of doing the sums are understood, Mathematics
becomes an interesting subject for them.
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