Teachers rap examiners

Press, 10 December 1983, Page 37

Teachers rap examiners

NZPA special correspondent Suva Fijian teachers and pupils have criticised New Zealand examiners who set the School Certificate physics paper, saying it was hard and above Form 5 level. Teachers said that some pupils would be lucky to get 30 per cent. They complained that the paper’s format was changed and that some parts of the syllabus were not covered by the questions. In Suva, physics teachers met their principals after receiving complaints. They hoped their complaint’s would be taken to higher authorities in the Ministry of Education.

“The questions were too difficult, even for the brightest lot of pupils." said a physics teacher. The format of the paper was totally different from that used since 1975 and all

teachers were not informed, as they should have been. Fiji's Permanent Secretary for Education. Mr Epili Kacimaiwai. said he had not had any official complaint. For the time being he did not see any need to go to New Zealand for clarification on the issue. If the complaint warranted further inquiries, his department would take the matter up with the New Zealand Examination Board. He said New Zealand School Certificate examination papers were well moderated in Wellington. He also dismissed a suggestion that it was time Fiji localised the examination. The South Pacific Examination Board, which had been working for two years, was studying over-all implications of the issue.

Fiji is committed to the New Zealand examinations until 1986.