Lack of planning and implementation inconsistencies in the education system continue to be discussed.
While the Ministry of National Education (MEB) expects teachers to fully comply with the exam calendars, subject-question distribution tables and previously announced scenarios, does it show the same sensitivity in the joint written exams it organizes? The rounding question asked in the 6th grade mathematics common written exam brought this debate back to the agenda.
Speaking to Cumhuriyet, Eğitim-İş Istanbul Branch No. 2 Legal Secretary Tarık Durmaz reacted to the exam system, stating that the Ministry should comply with the rules set by itself.
In the subject-question distribution table for the 1st term 1st written exam of the 6th grade mathematics course published by the Ministry of Education, the learning outcome regarding decimal notations was defined as "Being able to interpret the place values of decimal notations by using fractions in real life situations." It was stated that although there were statements regarding the analysis of decimal representations in the process components of the learning outcome in question, the issue of rounding decimal numbers was not directly included.
However, it was reported that the exam included a question in which volleyball players were asked to round their dunk heights to tenths. Durmaz pointed out that the presence of a subject in the textbook does not mean that it is automatically included in the previously announced common written exam.
Stating that the Ministry of Education expects teachers to meticulously comply with the exam calendars, subject-question distribution tables and previously announced exam scenarios, Durmaz stated that the same sensitivity should be shown in the Ministry's own practices. Pointing out the importance of unity in measurement and evaluation in joint written exams, Durmaz noted that this unity cannot be achieved by pushing the professional competence of teachers to the background.
Stating that the Ministry of Education introduced a practice in which questions selected from the central question pool are used instead of the questions prepared by teachers shortly before the exams, Durmaz stated that there were also reports that some of the questions and answer keys in the question pool were incorrect.
Emphasizing that teachers are expected to fully comply with the exam scenarios, Durmaz stated that the exams prepared by the Ministry should be inspected with the same criteria. Stating that justice in measurement and evaluation cannot be achieved only by asking the same questions to all students, Durmaz noted that students should be evaluated in line with the previously announced scope.
Durmaz stated that the Ministry should first clarify the compatibility of the question in question with the published exam scope, accept any errors, make the necessary corrections, and establish an effective audit mechanism.
Emphasizing that teachers' professional knowledge and experience should not be pushed into the background, Durmaz asked for teachers to be given back the authority and trust they deserve in measurement and evaluation processes. Stating that education is an area that cannot be managed by trial and error method, Durmaz completed his statement by stating that the Ministry should take responsibility and produce permanent solutions.
