National strategy proposes bilingual exams in maths and science

Proposals for national strategy on early leaving and education strategy include giving students facility to answer questions in both English and Maltese

Proposals in a national strategy on an early leaving and education strategy include giving students the facility to answer questions in both English and Maltese, during assessments and exams in specific problematic subject areas like “story sums” in Maths.

The proposals also include the introduction of SEC exams as a Maltese option for students, particularly for specific subjects like Maths and Science.

The requirement that most SEC examinations are completed in English is now being considered to be an unnecessary barrier to certification, particularly for weaker students and for students whose instruction has primarily been through Maltese.

For each paper, students should have the option to choose the language in which they take the examination.

The aim of the policy is to eliminate barriers in examinations, especially for those learners who are passing through an important transition, whether academic or vocational.

Examination boards are being urged to take into consideration the bilingual nature of our society, and “should be more flexible in allowing students to opt for their language of preference when sitting for their examinations”.

Apart from addressing the needs of the rising numbers of foreign students, this outlook takes into consideration the needs of Maltese students who find their ‘second’ language, either Maltese or English, somewhat challenging.

The strategy also aims to assess how COVID-19 has impacted learning in all areas of education, by allowing for diverse digital learning strategies and assessment methods. A pilot programme which includes blended learning is now being proposed.