DOHA: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has completed all preparations for the start of the first semester exams for the 2023/2024 academic year for grades one to twelve. The exams commence on Sunday and continue until December 21.
These intensive preparations aim to create a reassuring, calm, and comfortable atmosphere to help students succeed and excel, achieving the highest grades.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Director of the Student Assessment Department at MoEHE, Ibrahim Abdullah Rashid Al Muhannadi, said that the ministry, through all its entities and departments, has worked to prepare for the exam period, especially for the secondary school exams.
He added that this was achieved by issuing the necessary circulars, guidelines, and instructions and sending them to schools while monitoring their preparations through field visits by assessment specialists and educational supervisors.
Al Muhannadi emphasized that the Ministry is keen on applying the highest possible standards for exams, including securing a suitable and stable environment for students in the examination halls, preparing psychological and specialized aspects, implementing plans and mechanisms for grading, monitoring results, and issuing them as soon as possible. Additionally, meetings and discussions have been conducted at various levels as part of the preparations for the exams.
Al Muhannadi explained that the schools have prepared for these exams, by taking various measures related to the psychological preparation of students, including organizing the examination halls by arranging seats, displaying informative posters, and implementing behavioural guidelines for exams. Additionally, entrances, corridors, and the sports hall have been prepared to facilitate students' movement during entry and exit from the school. Meetings have been held with teachers and supervisors to ensure the delivery of all necessary information, communicate relevant directives about the exams, and maintain effective communication with parents through text messages or direct calls to remind and guide them regarding all aspects of the exams.
Al Muhannadi offered a series of tips and guidance for students during the exams. He urged them to plan this period well, emphasizing the importance of creating a realistic and well-structured timetable for managing time and organizing study throughout the exam period. He advised students to include sufficient time for rest, sleep, exercise, and healthy eating. He encouraged the students to engage in careful and realistic revision, create a mind map covering all sections of the subject to facilitate information recall during exam questions and avoid stress and tension. He advised them not to dwell on past challenges, double-check the exam schedule well before its time, avoid staying up late, prepare for sleep in advance, and arrive early for the exam to account for any unforeseen circumstances. He reminded the students to bring all necessary tools for the exam, adhere to behavioural regulations, maintain composure, avoid changing seats, and refrain from cheating or assisting others, as violations may lead to penalties and disqualification from exams.
Al Muhannadi urged parents to play their role during the exam period, providing a peaceful environment for study and concentration, organizing family visits during exam time, not expressing anxiety in front of the student, as it can affect them, assisting in organizing a study plan and its execution, considering the student's dietary habits during this period, and ensuring a good sleep routine, as the mind needs rest just like the body.
Al Muhannadi told QNA that students can make use of MoEHE's website, the ministry's official circulars, its letters addressed to schools, and the mock exams it provides, noting that the department issued on October 24 a special circular regarding General Secondary Certificate mock exams for the academic year 2023/2024.Al Muhannadi said that all tests and exams are carefully drawn up according to grading rubrics and learning outcome guides set by a specialized team of pedagogical evaluation specialists and educational mentors, to ensure that test and exam questions are appropriate to students' level and are in accordance with scientific standards, taking into account individual differences in all academic subjects and for all grades.
In concluding his statements to QNA, the Director of the Student Assessment Department at MoEHE underscored the teaching staff's role in setting exams for grades 1 to 11, in addition to grade 12's mock exams. This is done in accordance with the MoEHE's grading rubric and specifications, with the exam setting process being subject to the ministry's supervision. He contrasted that General Secondary Certificate exams on the other hand are set by ministry specialists and are standardized for all students.
