C.E.O. praises students for exam improvements

By Adel Fruean 18 January 2019, 12:00AM

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, Afamasaga Dr. Karoline Fuata’i, says there was an improvement in the 2018 Samoa Primary Education Certificate of Achievement (S.P.E.C.A.) exam results.

But the percentage of those students who passed the exam was only 0.7 per cent and not 7 per cent, as reported earlier by the Samoa Observer. 

Dr. Karoline highlighted during the launching of the Ministry’s policies earlier this week that the information published in a Samoa Observer article was incorrect.

“On January of this year, the Samoa Observer published an article stating that seven per cent was the increase percentage from the previous year but that is not correct, it is 0.7 per cent it was not 10 per cent or seven per cent. 

“Our increases of 1 per cent or 3 per cent are difficult to attain. We should be proud if we have a 1 per cent increase but in fact there was a 30 per cent increase.

“Minister stand your ground and tell your cabinet ministers and members of parliament that there is indeed improvement in this year’s result,” she said.

The story that the C.E.O. made reference to in her remarks early this week was based on an interview with the Minister.  

Expressing his concerns while discussing the 2018 results for the various exams, the Minister told Samoa Observer that the SPECA results are available and there were improvements. 

“But according to the results from the Year 8, there is a slight improvement from the last two years, which is good. But we also need to address the gap that is present, for example, the last time there was an increase from 5 to 7 per cent of those that passed, for instance the English subject — but now its 10 per cent,” he said.

According to the Ministry, over 4500 students sat the SPECA test last year and were tested in English, Samoan, science, social studies, mathematics, health and physical education, and visual arts. The exam was revised in 2017 and converted from being an aptitude test to an achievement test.  

By Adel Fruean 18 January 2019, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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