EXAM PAPERS FOR SALE!
We're
sure you read the newspaper report on exams papers of certain primary
schools being sold for $60. An
online poll by a local search engine drew the following response:
-
13% of respondents were 'shocked'.
-
59.1% thought it was okay, a form of 'assurance' for parents that their kids would do well.
-
27.99% felt it did not matter - being brainy was the important factor.
What's your feeling about this? One respondent who was shocked commented that we should think of the teachers' hard work and input in setting the paper. This prompted us to find out how teachers actually set papers.
-
Teachers are assigned to set a specific paper. They are given a deadline and a table of specs, which they have to follow closely. The components, marks weightage and question types are all specified.
-
For example, in a Maths paper, the fill-in-blanks section could account for 40% of the total marks. The questions would test concepts taught as set out in the curriculum, with a mix of knowledge and application questions. The ratio of higher- order to simpler questions depends on the quality of the cohort of the school and the targets set by the Maths Department for that particular level.
-
The setter refers closely to the school course materials (particularly for the lower primary) when setting the paper. Setters also have a pool of assessment books, which they may use as models for their questions. They do not lift questions from assessment books.
-
For English papers, setters may look for suitable passages in newspapers, magazines, story books and reference books, to be used as comprehension passages. These passages are then adapted for use.
-
After setting the paper, the setter has to send it to be vetted by a committee of teachers, who will vet for errors in language or content, suitability for the level, as well as the proportion of higher-order questions to simpler ones. Comments and suggestions are put down on paper for the setter's reference.
-
The setter will then look through the vetted copy and make changes where necessary.
-
The paper then goes out to be printed.
As you can see, setting a paper can be quite a lot of work! In a year, teachers can set between three to seven exam papers, depending on the staff strength of the school.
So, back to the question - is it alright to buy these sets of practice papers? From an ethical point of view, no. If they want more practice than what is given by the school in terms of homework, parents should make use of assessment books (some of which are truly sound and helpful) available on the market. Do visit the nearest Popular bookstore and you can select suitable books to your kiasu heart's content.
But, some of you may protest, even the schools do it! Some P4 and P6 teachers do buy these $60 packages and routinely use them in class as big-time practice sessions. One reason is it is because it is so easily available, and you can just send them out for printing - the teacher knows that generally the quality is good, and she also does not have to spend time looking through assessment books selecting appropriate sections for printing for the class. Also, at P4 and P6, the PETS worksheets are not that useful in an examination context - Streaming and PSLE have their own standard and specific style of testing - and teachers want to expose their children to this kind of testing. Is it justified? We leave the decision to you.
However, we must also be aware that MOE does print and sell past years' PSLE papers. These booklets are very reasonably priced and available at Popular.
Email editor@eqparent.com on this topic
Other articles
in this section:
Primary 1 Registration