Updated | Matsec board 'apologises' for mistake in maths exam

The Opposition has called for an investigation by the Matsec board after parents and students lamented questions in exams which did not form part of the syllabus.

The complaints were raised over mathematics intermediate level and physics A-level.

The Opposition said it had verified the complaints with the teachers who also confirmed that there were questions which were not included in the syllabus.

The PN said it expected the authorities and the board to investigate what happened and provide the necessary remedies so that “justice” is done with the students, “victims of someone else’s mistakes”.

Spokespersons Therese Commodini Cachia and George Pullicino said the Matsec Board should immediately notify the parents and the students of the measures that it will take to address the mistakes in the exam paper.

Matsec apologises for mistake in Maths exam, but insists all questions in Physics paper were covered in subject syllabus

In a statement issued in response, MATSEC said that the process of creating the exam papers involves a panel which is elected expressly to plan the papers.

“The panel is made up of at least two members, with one of them having the role of reviewer,” the statement reads.

Matsec explained that the panels for the Mathematics Intermediate exam and Physics A-level, (which were the two exams that garnered most complaints), have extensive experience of what levels are expected of students.

“The reviewer’s job is that of checking that the paper is of the required level, verifying that all questions fall within the syllabus, and that it can be worked out by candidates during the allocated time slots.”

The statement however explained that despite the best intentions, the last question of the Maths Intermediate exam, which carried six marks, was not in the syllabus.

“The Matsec Board is very sorry for the inconvenience and it will be taking the necessary steps to ensure that candidates are not placed at a disadvantage.”

Discussing the Physics A-Level, MATSEC added that all the questions in the paper had in fact been covered in the school syllabus.​