Dear editor:
Once again we’ve reached the time that students are preparing for the upcoming diploma exams. These exams are two and a half to three hour long tests written by the government, and each worth 50 per cent of the students final course mark. Every Grade 12 student understands the stress and work that comes along with the preparation for these exams. You spend your whole semester working towards this one test that determines a large portion of your mark. There is no room for error when writing these tests, and failing is not an option.
Many students go into the exams with high course marks, and if they score low on their tests their mark can be drastically lowered. I think I can speak for most students by saying that the diploma exam weighting has too much of an impact on final grades. Half of our mark is determined in three hours of testing. In this amount of time it is impossible to accurately ascertain the vast knowledge students have learned over the course of one whole semester. It has been almost thirty years since this education model has been reviewed and finally the Alberta School Board Association is taking a second look. Helen Clease, ASBA president explains in a recent Metro article that the province is changing the way it delivers education and the testing models should correspond with these changes.
On Nov. 17, the Alberta School Board Association cast a vote concerning the weight of Grade 12 diploma exams. The board unanimously voted in reducing this weight down to 30 per cent. I feel that this change will have a positive impact on our education system. Currently Alberta is the only province in Canada that weighs the final exam at 50 per cent and this is a great disadvantage to all students who apply for competitive university programs. Edmonton Public School Board Chair Sara Hoffman states “Students are aware that not all jurisdictions have the 50 per cent weighting and they want to make sure they have an opportunity to be seen on an even playing field to other jurisdictions across Canada.” However this is not possible if Alberta does not lower the weight of final exams.
While these changes will not be made in time to affect my last year of school I feel that it is necessary to speak for the next generation of grade 12 students. It’s time for a change.
Maryje Bikker
