Confusion mars Algerian baccalaureate exams

2008-06-12

Nearly 600,000 Algerian students are taking their baccalaureate exams this year. On the second day of the most important exams in the entire school curriculum, a page-numbering error in one paper caused a controversy.

By Mouna Sadek for Magharebia in Algiers – 12/06/08

[Getty Images] A page numbering error on one of the baccalaureate exams this year added to an already stressful situation for test-takers.

While Algeria's controversial 2008 baccalaureate examinations have proceeded mostly without incident, a problem affecting certain test materials has raised the stress level of many students. An error in the page-numbering of the English exam paper distributed Sunday (June 7th) caught many examinees out.

"I was worried when I saw my daughter go home in tears," said Mrs. Bouzirene, a teacher. "Most candidates in the exam room didn't spot the mistake. She's worried it'll mean she's failed."

The English exam paper set for candidates taking baccalaureates in foreign literature and languages, experimental sciences, maths, management, economics and mathematical techniques has a mistake in the numbering of its pages. The questions which were supposed to appear on page 2 were printed on page 4, and vice versa. With students having a choice between two questions, those who were fooled by the error answered both at the same time. They are now worried they will fail this segment, essential in order to receive a bac in foreign literature and languages or literature and humanities.

The mistake did not affect candidates who were retaking the exam under the previous year's curriculum. The other exams passed without major incident. "On the whole the questions were fairly manageable, especially maths," said Mehdi Lamriben, an experimental sciences candidate. "I spotted the mistake in the English paper because page numbers were shown at the bottom. I'm feeling very optimistic."

In a statement to El Watan, the general secretary of the National Examinations and Competitive Examinations Office, Mr. Merazi, said the controversy over the page-numbering blunder was unfounded. "The pages were numbered such that candidates could see that there were two separate questions. Furthermore, for the first time ever we gave them an extra thirty minutes to allow them to read the questions and choose one," he asserted.

Speaking to the press in Medea, Education Minister Boubkeur Benbouzid said: "The pagination or numbering system was perhaps unfamiliar to some students, but that does not mean that there was a mistake. In addition, fewer than 5% of candidates encountered difficulties during this exam, while the remaining majority had no problems."

The 2008 programme was the first to include school reforms adopted five years ago by the Ministry of Education. According to a ministry statement, "The 2008 baccalaureate examination session saw the fruition of new curricula which have been completely revamped and brought up to date. It was also notable for the restructuring of the number of subjects taught, cut from 15 to 6 in order to better prepare candidates for university education."

A series of protests were mounted in January by students complaining about the stripping-down of the curriculum. "We refused to be guinea-pigs for these curricula, which we felt were too heavy. We couldn’t finish the course. Thankfully the exams generally focused on the early lessons," Mehdi Lamriben told Magharebia.

A total of 599,702 candidates are due to take their baccalaureates this year. The Ministry of Education has scheduled two sessions, one for new candidates who will be assessed under the new curricula (273,893 students) and the other for the unsuccessful candidates from last year who will be assessed under the old curriculum.

In the session for students taking exams under the old curriculum, 52% of candidates are enrolled in schools and 47% are "private" candidates. The session for the new curriculum will see a high number of girls – 63.51%, as compared with 36.48% boys. There will also be 310 foreign candidates (0.11%), 86 disabled candidates (0.03%) and 103 candidates at youth rehabilitation centres (0.03%).