DA to attend Umalusi matric results standardisation meeting despite being blocked
The DA has repeatedly asked to be invited to the standardisation meeting by Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training body, Umalusi, but our requests have been denied.
It is the Constitutional responsibility of MPs to conduct oversight and since the standardisation process of matric results is an area that requires exactly this, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Nomsa Marchesi MP, will attend the meeting. Umalusi is highly regarded and says it is committed to transparency – it should, therefore, have nothing to hide.
Standardisation is the process by which the results of subjects are moderated and adjusted through a mathematical model to ensure consistency in examination levels and the best possible results for learners given any errors there might be in question papers.
Our intention to attend the meeting is informed by the public’s need to understand the standardisation process and it must be stated that we are not questioning Umalusi’s credibility. We intend to put several key questions to Umalusi including:
How many subjects have had their average marks adjusted upwards or downwards? And by how much?
Why is there a continuous need to adjust marks upward, as this points to a problem somewhere in the schooling system?
What is being done to identify and address this problem?
What is the impact of progressed learners overall on the adjustment of marks, and also specifically of those using the new Multiple Exam Opportunity?
The DA, along with some experts, have raised concerns for a number years about the tendency to adjust many subjects upward by large amounts.
For the Matric 2016 results, 32 of the 58 subjects had their marks adjusted (compared to 29 in 2015). Of the 32 adjusted subjects, 28 had their marks adjusted upwards and only four downwards.
Mathematics and Maths Literacy had significant upward adjustments – a worrying indicator in combination with South Africa’s poor performance in the Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) where we ranked second last in Grade 8 Maths.
There was also a tendency to accept raw marks when they were higher than the recommended computer adjustment and not adjust them down.
Raw marks are supposed to be accepted unless it is felt that an exam was either cognitively more, or less, difficult than previous years. Yet, according to Umalusi, exam papers go through rigorous moderation beforehand – why then should so much adjustment be necessary?
Progressed learners perform less well academically and we need to understand when and how progressed learner results factor into standardisation calculations.
The standardisation process has an impact on the future of our matriculants and ensuring their access to higher education. Matriculants and their parents must have faith in the credibility of their results and qualifications and for their sake, Umalusi must make the meeting inclusive of all stakeholders.
Details of the meeting are as follows:
Date: Tomorrow, 22 December 2017
Venue: Protea Fire & Ice Hotel, Lynwood, Pretoria
Time: 14:00
Statement issued by Nomsa Marchesi MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Basic Education, 21 December 2017
