MESSAGE BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CTVET, DR. FRED KYEI ASAMOAH, AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE 2023 CERTIFICATE II EXAMINATIONS AND OTHER EXAMINATIONS FOR TECHNICAL STUDENTS.
Our friends from the media.
I am delighted to have you here this morning for this brief encounter.
As part of the Commission’s mandate and functions, we organize examinations for students in the various technical and vocational schools. This engagement is done `every year to brief the media and the general public on plans for the examinations and other modalities.
However, this engagement has become even more important this year because we are introducing an innovation known as serialization in this year’s examination administration.
WHAT IS TEST SERIALIZATION?
Test serialization is simply the process of generating different versions of the same questions but with different positions of the test items, options and keys on the question papers of each candidate.
With Serialization, candidates in the same examination hall may receive the same questions but with different question numbers on each of the series.
The purpose of this exercise is to ensure the issues of cheating during examinations and leaking of examination questions are eliminated or minimized.
Key among the main characteristics are;
- a) Easy to test students with different versions of the same set of questions
- b) Allows the same test items to be administered at different examination centers
- c) Produces consistent & comparable scores
- d) Measures the same content and construct
- e) Encourages teachers and learners to do effective teaching and learning in schools
- f) Easy to administer using the same instructions, directions & duration
- g) Ensures fairness, test security, and integrity of certificates
- h) Reduces perennial leakages of examination papers at examination centers
- i) Discourages candidates from relying on “apor”, scammers and fake questions from the social media platforms
- j) Establishes validity of scores across all series of the test
- k) Makes possible to award the same certificate to all candidates
there are 10 key issues about Test Serialization that we would like students, training providers, and the public to know:
- a) Same test blueprint and Content are used.
- b) Same construct (skills & traits), format, and structure
- c) Same questions, with different versions at varied positions
- d) Same test items under the same thematic areas
- e) Same instructions, directions, and duration of the test
- f) Same alternatives (options) with varied positions
- g) Same keys (correct answers) with varied positions
- h) Same Marking schemes or Scoring guide for the series
- i) Same date and time for the administration of all series at all centers
- j) Same score, qualification, and certification are awarded
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO STUDENTS AND TRAINING PROVIDERS.
The test serialization is being rolled out effectively this year, especially as part of the 2023 May/June Certificate II Examinations. There would be Eight (8) series for each developed for each set of questions.
Finally, which Subjects are going to be serialized?
All the Core Subjects and selected Elective subjects of Certificate II examination papers.
KEY STATISTICS FOR THE 2023 EXAMINATIONS.
The following are some key statistics:
REVISING THE GRADING SYSTEM
We are also revising the grading system for the CERTIFICATE II Core and Elective Examinations. The objective of this is to ensure that we bring it on par with the grading system of other examination bodies like the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and also to ensure that technical students face very few challenges when progressing to study at the tertiary level.
The new grading system will look like this;